CZ and Strive reject Bitcoin ‘death’ calls amid slump
Bitcoin supporters are pushing back against renewed claims that the cryptocurrency is in decline, even as the asset trades roughly 50% below its October 2025 record high of more than US$126,000.
Former Binance chief executive Changpeng Zhao told followers on social media that:
“Bitcoin won’t be ‘dead’ for too long,”
As the cryptocurrency hovered around US$62,600 following a prolonged market downturn.
Meanwhile, Matt Cole announced that Strive had acquired an additional 32 Bitcoin for approximately US$2.1 million at an average purchase price of about US$63,911 per coin.
“The debt crisis won’t improve, debasement will continue,”
Cole wrote, adding that he believes the global economy is gradually moving towards a Bitcoin-centred financial future.
The comments come during one of Bitcoin's weakest periods in recent years, with the asset falling from around US$82,000 in early May to approximately US$63,000 and briefly dropping below US$60,000 for the first time since October 2024.
Analysts at Bernstein argued that the slowdown in Bitcoin inflows is largely the result of investors rotating capital into artificial intelligence opportunities, including AI-related infrastructure projects and public listings.
According to the firm's research, Bitcoin treasury companies and exchange-traded funds attracted approximately US$12 billion of inflows in 2026, compared with US$60 billion in 2025, while spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded roughly US$2.6 billion in net outflows this year.
Bernstein nevertheless argued that Bitcoin's investor base has matured significantly, with ownership now spread across ETFs, corporate treasuries, wealth managers, pension funds and sovereign investors, creating a more diversified market structure than in previous cycles.
At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $61,453.04.
