Public Bitcoin miners missed the recent market rally after selling 28,000 to 32,000 BTC in the first half of 2026. These assets, valued at approximately $1.78 billion at the time, were liquidated to fund a strategic shift toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, with total investments in these sectors exceeding $70 billion.
The broader crypto market saw significant growth, with the total market capitalization reaching nearly $2.7 trillion. Spot Bitcoin ETFs experienced net inflows of roughly $3.8 billion over three weeks leading up to early September, including a single-day peak of $731 million.
Market dynamics shifted as stablecoin allocations in portfolios dropped by 22% during the rally. USDT dominance showed a potential death cross, with its 50-day moving average falling below the 200-day moving average, indicating a decline in stablecoin dominance.
Bitcoin's price climbed roughly 25% in late August, reaching highs around $80,000. This growth was supported by US Treasury liquidity initiatives, a short squeeze, and steady ETF inflows. Hashprice increased by over 24% in August.
Some miners have transitioned from liquidation to borrowing against their remaining Bitcoin reserves. Additionally, a consortium of 21 major financial institutions is planning to launch a new stablecoin venture by 2027 to attract institutional capital.