Washington changes its tone.

Trade tensions ease — markets breathe again.

This week, tensions between the US and China seemed to cool. Trump signaled he wants to “substantially” reduce tariffs, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expects a further de-escalation of the trade war soon. Surprisingly, Trump also stated he no longer intends to replace Jerome Powell, the Chair of the Federal Reserve.

That last point may seem minor, but it’s critical. The Fed’s independence is a key pillar of global trust in the US economy. Trump’s earlier comments cast doubt on that independence, shaking investor confidence. Now that he’s stepping back, calm is returning.

Markets responded immediately. Bitcoin and the broader crypto market surged on the improved sentiment. Less geopolitical uncertainty opens the door to more risk-on investments — and crypto often leads that charge.

Bitcoin breaks away from stocks (for now).

Last week brought a notable shift: while equities rose slightly, bitcoin surged ahead. Historically, bitcoin has closely tracked the Nasdaq, positioning it as a risk asset like tech stocks.

But that image is starting to shift. Bitcoin is increasingly seen as digital gold — a hedge against monetary debasement and declining confidence in the dollar. Gold has rallied for months on this theme, and bitcoin is now catching the same tailwind.

It feels like a turning point. Bitcoin is growing up. Less like a tech startup, more like a monetary anchor. Whether the decoupling from equities is permanent remains to be seen — but the direction is clear, and it aligns with bitcoin’s original purpose.

New heavyweight joins the bitcoin race.

This week saw the launch of Twenty One — a new company backed by giants like Tether and SoftBank. Its sole goal? Acquire as much bitcoin as possible. It’s a direct challenger to MicroStrategy, which has famously turned bitcoin into its core corporate strategy.

The name Twenty One refers to the fixed supply of 21 million bitcoin. That cap is becoming increasingly significant. With players like Twenty One — and even governments — stepping into the ring, the race for bitcoin is heating up fast.