Bitcoin Retreats Below $74K as AI Jitters Slam Tech Sector

$74,000. That's where Bitcoin landed after Tuesday's bounce evaporated faster than morning mist. AMD's disappointing 2026 outlook triggered a 14% plunge that sent AI infrastructure-linked crypto miners tumbling in its wake.

The AI Reality Check

The Nasdaq 100 extended its slide, dropping another 1% after Monday's 1.5% decline. Software stocks bore the brunt of the selling, with the iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF falling another 4%, bringing its week-plus decline to a staggering 17%.

This isn't just another tech correction. It's a reckoning with AI's disruptive potential. The same technology that promised to revolutionize everything is now haunting investors with fears that it might destroy more than it creates. The narrative has flipped from "AI will change everything" to "AI might eliminate us."

Miners Caught in the Crossfire

Crypto miners felt the pain acutely. Cipher Mining, IREN, and Hut 8 all dropped more than 10% as their pivot toward AI infrastructure suddenly looked less promising. These companies bet big on diversifying beyond Bitcoin mining, positioning themselves as AI infrastructure plays.

AMD's forecast miss was the catalyst, but the deeper issue is whether crypto miners can successfully reinvent themselves. The "mining-to-AI" transformation that seemed so logical months ago now faces serious questions about execution and timing.

Mixed Economic Signals

U.S. economic data painted a complex picture. The ISM Services PMI held steady at 53.8, slightly beating expectations and signaling continued expansion. But private payrolls told a different story, adding just 22,000 jobs versus forecasts of 48,000.

Lekker Capital's Quinn Thompson noted that "manufacturing has lost jobs every month since March 2024, but this month professional and business services and large employers joined the weakness." He believes markets are underestimating the Fed stimulus that may be coming in 2026.

Even gold couldn't escape the selling pressure, retreating below $5,000 after briefly touching $5,113 per ounce overnight.