Zelensky Rejects US Critical Minerals Deal, Bitcoin Plunges 10% Below $90K, Big Tech Stocks Take a Beating

Featured Article this week:

• Ukraine Demands Military Guarantees – President Zelenskiy rejected a US minerals deal that lacks firm security commitments, insisting that economic incentives alone cannot replace military support amid ongoing conflict with Russia.

• US Offers Economic Security Instead – The Trump administration proposed a strategic partnership focused on minerals and energy investment but no direct military guarantees, which Kyiv finds insufficient given the Russian threat.

• Tensions Escalate – The dispute has strained US-Ukraine relations, with Trump calling Zelenskiy a “dictator” and Kyiv accusing Trump of echoing Russian disinformation; negotiations continue, but the path forward remains uncertain.

Bitcoin’s 10% Crash: Panic or Opportunity?

Macroeconomic fears, regulatory setbacks, and market sell-offs shake confidence—but is a rebound on the horizon?

• Macroeconomic Pressures Drive Sell-Off – Concerns over global economic growth, Trump's new tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and falling US Treasury yields led to broader risk-off sentiment, impacting Bitcoin along with high-growth tech stocks like Nvidia, Tesla, and Palantir. This reinforces Bitcoin’s strong correlation with risk assets, rather than acting as a safe-haven.

• OKX Settlement Weakens Institutional Confidence – The $500M DOJ settlement over illicit transactions at OKX casts a shadow over crypto regulation and discourages potential institutional and sovereign Bitcoin adoption. This event further damaged Bitcoin’s perception as a legitimate reserve asset, adding to negative sentiment.

• Long-Term Outlook Still Holds – Despite the dip, central banks may soon turn to stimulus measures to combat economic slowdowns, potentially driving renewed interest in Bitcoin’s hard monetary policy. While short-term recovery above $95K is uncertain, Bitcoin’s long-term fundamentals remain intact.

Market Snapshot Today:

• Technology and Consumer Cyclical Stocks Decline Amid Market Uncertainty - Big Tech Drops: Microsoft (MSFT -1.20%), Google (GOOG -1.39%), Amazon (AMZN -2.01%), and Meta (META -1.77%) all experienced declines. Semiconductors Hit Hard: Nvidia (NVDA -1.07%), Broadcom (AVGO -2.23%), and AMD (AMD -2.11%), Tesla (TSLA -8.01%).

• Consumer Defensive & Healthcare Stocks Show Strength Amid Economic Jitters - Retail & Defensive Stocks Gain: Walmart (WMT +3.80%), Costco (COST +1.57%), and Procter & Gamble (PG +1.44%). Healthcare Sees Inflows: Eli Lilly (LLY +2.20%) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ +1.21%) were among the biggest gainers.

• Financial & Energy Sectors Struggle Due to Economic Growth Concerns - Banks Decline: JPMorgan (JPM -1.97%), Wells Fargo (WFC -2.40%), and Citigroup (C -1.66%). Oil & Gas Stocks Fall: ExxonMobil (XOM -1.55%) and Chevron (CVX -0.81%).

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