CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju revived the “Bitcoin equals energy” thesis on 
Wednesday, arguing that proof-of-work is becoming the settlement layer for an 
AI-driven economy where power, not narratives, is the binding constraint. In a 
post on X, Ju framed Bitcoin as a digital instrument that can price energy 
with precision in a way commodities can’t. “Energy is money. Bitcoin precisely 
measures the value of energy,” Ju wrote. “Gold also embeds energy, but it 
cannot be measured accurately because it is not digital. Bitcoin is the money 
of an AI-accelerated energy economy.” The Link Between AI, Energy And Bitcoin 
Ju’s comments were posted alongside a long-form X post by Hashed CEO Simon Kim 
titled Monetizing Energy: Redefining Bitcoin’s Role in the AI Era, which 
argues that the old “energy waste” critique is being overtaken by an AI data 
center buildout that is rewriting the value of mining infrastructure. Kim’s 
core claim is that the debate has shifted from morality to grid economics and 
industrial pragmatism. “The oldest criticism of Bitcoin has always been about 
energy,” he wrote. “Claims that it ‘wastes electricity,’ ‘destroys the 
environment,’ and ‘competes with data centers for power’ have been repeated 
for over a decade, solidifying into conventional wisdom. But in 2026, this 
debate no longer resides in the realm of moral condemnation.” The thread 
points to capital flows as a tell. Kim highlighted Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth 
fund Mubadala’s $437 million allocation to BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF in Q4 2024, 
followed by a partnership with Oman’s sovereign wealth fund to back Crusoe 
Energy and launch the Middle East’s first flare-gas mining operation. In 
October 2025, Mubadala co-led Crusoe’s Series E with a $1.375 billion check, 
pushing the company’s valuation above $10 billion—at which point Crusoe said 
it would divest its Bitcoin mining division and focus fully on AI 
infrastructure. Related Reading: Bitcoin Death Cross That Last Preceded A 66% 
Drop Is Back Kim’s thesis is that miners have already done the hard, 
unglamorous work AI now needs: securing power, mastering high-density thermal 
management, and building operational muscle around flexible load. He also 
leaned on an Elon Musk quote from a November 2025 podcast: “Energy is the true 
currency. This is why I say Bitcoin is based on energy. You can’t just pass a 
law and suddenly have a lot of energy.” A recurring theme in Kim’s post is 
that electricity’s constraints (locality, immediacy, and transmission losses) 
make flexibility economically valuable. He cited early examples like Sichuan 
hydropower curtailment exceeding 20 billion kWh by 2020, and argued that 
miners became a buyer of last resort for energy that couldn’t be stored or 
sold. Globally, he claimed curtailed renewable energy exceeds 200TWh annually, 
representing more than $20 billion in economic losses, positioning Bitcoin 
mining as an instant monetization path for surplus generation. In Texas, Kim 
pointed to ERCOT’s classification of mining as a controllable load resource, 
citing Riot Blockchain cutting power usage by 98–99% during the 2022 winter 
storm and receiving $31.7 million in power credits during an August 2023 
heatwave, more than it would have earned mining that month. The framing is 
less “miners versus data centers” and more “premium uptime workloads versus 
interruptible demand that stabilizes the grid.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Won’t 
Break Out Until The Fed Steps Into Yen/JGB Chaos: Arthur Hayes Kim also argued 
the environmental critique is changing on the margin as the industry’s energy 
mix shifts. He claimed more than half of mining now comes from sustainable 
sources, exceeding 52%, while coal dependence fell from 36% to under 9%. On 
methane, he described flare-gas mining as an emissions arbitrage: methane has 
“80 times” the greenhouse effect of CO2, flaring combusts 93% with 7% 
escaping, while using gas for mining combusts over 99%, cutting CO2-equivalent 
emissions by over 60% versus flaring. The forward implication of Ju’s framing 
is that if AI accelerates the premium on reliable power and buildout speed, 
Bitcoin’s value proposition may increasingly be argued in the language of 
energy markets: measuring, monetizing, and transporting scarcity. Kim’s 
closing challenge was explicit: shift the question from consumption totals to 
system outcomes, suggesting the next phase of the debate will center on where 
miners sit in the stack of AI-era infrastructure, not whether they exist: “AI 
operates where continuous uptime is essential; Bitcoin operates where 
flexibility has value. Governments can print money, but they cannot print 
energy. Bitcoin&#8217;s proof-of-work is the mechanism that brings this physical 
reality into the digital economy. It&#8217;s a technology that takes energy from one 
place and transports it anywhere.” At press time, Bitcoin traded at $86,779. 
Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Bitcoin Is The Money Of The AI-Powered Economy: CryptoQuant CEO

Messari reports that institutions put millions of dollars into Avalanche last 
year, but it didn’t help its token, which fell by nearly 60% in the fourth 
quarter of 2025.

BlackRock’s BUIDL aids Avalanche tokenization value boom in Q4

Bitcoin price started a major decline below $86,500. BTC is down nearly 10% 
and might soon test the $80,000 support zone. Bitcoin failed to remain above 
$86,500 and started another decline. The price is trading above $85,000 and 
the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a bearish trend line forming 
with resistance at $83,200 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed 
from Kraken). The pair might dip further if it trades below the $81,000 and 
$80,000 levels. Bitcoin Price Dips Again Bitcoin price failed to continue 
higher above the $88,000 zone. BTC started a major decline below the $87,200 
and $86,500 levels. The bears were able to push the price below $85,000. It 
spared major bearish moves, pushing the price below $82,000. A low was formed 
at $81,000 and the price is still signaling more downsides. There is also a 
bearish trend line forming with resistance at $83,200 on the hourly chart of 
the BTC/USD pair. Bitcoin is now trading below $83,200 and the 100 hourly 
simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $80,000, it could 
attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $82,000 level. The 
first key resistance is near the $83,200 level or the 23.6% Fib retracement 
level of the downward move from the $90,438 swing high to the $81,000 low. A 
close above the $83,200 resistance might send the price further higher. In the 
stated case, the price could rise and test the $85,000 resistance. Any more 
gains might send the price toward the $85,700 level or the 50% Fib retracement 
level of the downward move from the $90,438 swing high to the $81,000 low. The 
next barrier for the bulls could be $87,000 and $87,500. More Losses In BTC? 
If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $83,200 resistance zone, it could start 
another decline. Immediate support is near the $81,000 level. The first major 
support is near the $80,500 level. The next support is now near the $80,000 
zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $77,000 support in the 
near term. The main support sits at $75,000, below which BTC might struggle to 
recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now 
gaining pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The 
RSI for BTC/USD is now below the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $81,000, 
followed by $80,000. Major Resistance Levels – $82,000 and $83,200.

Bitcoin Price 10% Tumble Sparks Fears Of $80K Give-Way

XRP Community Day 2026 signals accelerating institutional adoption and global 
coordination as Ripple spotlights XRP’s expanding role in regulated finance, 
infrastructure, and real-world blockchain utility across capital markets and 
decentralized ecosystems. Ripple Unveils Global XRP Community Day 2026 
Strategy XRP Community Day is taking shape as a high-energy touchpoint for the 
global digital asset community. […]

XRP Community Day Spotlights Institutional Momentum as Ripple Expands Adoption

Washington is trying again to clear a path for federal crypto rules. Talks 
that had stalled are being pulled back into the open as lawmakers and industry 
players head to a White House meeting. The plan, based on reports, brings bank 
executives and crypto company leaders to the same table with officials from 
the administration of US President Donald Trump. Related Reading: Gold, Silver 
Steal The Spotlight As Crypto Hype Fades On Social Media: Santiment White 
House Steps In Reports say the meeting is scheduled on Monday, and is meant to 
smooth over clashes that have held up a draft known as the CLARITY Act. About 
10 bank and crypto leaders are expected to attend. Conversations have been 
quiet for weeks, but bringing them into a formal room raises the chance of a 
fresh compromise. What happens there may not be made public right away, and 
details could still change. Banks Have Real Concerns Lenders want limits 
written into law to stop certain token features from acting like bank 
deposits. They argue that reward-style payments on stablecoins could siphon 
money from traditional accounts. That worry has pushed them to demand clear 
language that keeps customer deposits in the conventional system. Strong 
guardrails are being sought so balance sheets and consumer protections do not 
get muddled. Crypto Firms Push Back Crypto companies say those same rules 
would clip useful features and slow innovation. They point out that users 
expect to earn yields in some crypto services and that strict limits would 
change how people use digital assets. Several firms stepped away from the 
current bill draft after saying it would harm parts of the market. That 
pullback helped stall the process and forced negotiators to rethink 
priorities. Markets Signal Mixed Views Bitcoin has reacted to the back-and- 
forth. Prices moved up on some headlines and fell on others. Traders are 
watching for clear rules; many feel long-term clarity would help markets. 
Short-term moves, though, have been choppy as investors digest each new 
report. The mood is cautious, and that caution has been visible in trading 
volumes and in how quickly prices bounce. Political Timing Matters The Senate 
calendar is tight. Lawmakers who support the bill want something to show 
before deadlines and committee work closes. That pressure could spur faster 
drafting if both sides give some ground. But politics will shape what language 
survives. Some aides say compromise is still possible, while others expect 
more delay. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, 
Most In 3 Years A Narrow Window For Action If those at the meeting signal 
flexibility, a revised draft could go back to committee in the weeks ahead. If 
no common ground appears, the CLARITY effort may be parked again. Either 
outcome will leave the industry watching how regulators handle stablecoins, 
custody, and who has oversight between agencies. Featured image from Pexels, 
chart from TradingView

Cryptocurrency price in ARS