Current fiscal and monetary policies will cause hard asset prices to rise, but both are signs of late-stage economic decay, Dalio said. The US Federal Reserve’s decision to ease monetary policy is inflating an economic bubble that could drive up the prices of hard assets, but also marks the final phase of a 75-year economic cycle, according to former hedge fund manager Ray Dalio. Typically, the Federal Reserve eases interest rates when economic activity is stagnating or declining, asset prices are falling, unemployment is high and credit dries up, as seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s or the 2008 financial crisis, Dalio wrote in an article posted to X on Wednesday. However, the Fed is now easing monetary policy at a time of low unemployment, economic growth and rising asset markets, Dalio wrote, which is typical of late-stage economies saddled with too much debt. Read more
As deliberations entered their second day in a criminal trial over a $25 million exploit, jurors asked for clarification on previous testimony and the definition of “good faith.” The jury deciding the fate of two men accused of money laundering and fraud related to a $25 million exploit of the Ethereum blockchain has submitted a series of detailed questions to the judge as they deliberate, indicating a close scrutiny of key points in the case. On Wednesday, jurors in the criminal trial of Anton and James Peraire-Bueno began deliberating over a verdict after three weeks of hearing differing theories of the case from defense attorneys and US prosecutors. The brothers stand accused of using maximal extractable value (MEV) bots to extract about $25 million in digital assets from the Ethereum blockchain in 2023, in what prosecutors describe as a fraudulent scheme. Read more
Over $100 billion in old Bitcoin has moved as spot ETFs see record outflows, igniting debate over whether true OGs or traders are driving the market sell-off. Key takeaways: Over $104 billion in long-held Bitcoin has moved since 2024, sparking debate on whether older BTC investors are exiting the market for good. Onchain data shows most moved Bitcoin was from short-term holders, not older addresses. Read more