Bitcoin Price News: BTC Slips to $81,400 as AI Selloff Spreads

Figure	Level / change
Bitcoin	About $81,400, down 0.5%
South Korea’s Kospi	Down 3.7% (almost 4% in later reports)
Elice (Korean IPO debut)	Down around 30%
Brent crude	Above $111
French stablecoin levy	31%, from January 2027
JPMorgan bitcoin outlook	About 10% annual return over a decade

Bitcoin edged lower on Tuesday as an AI-linked selloff in Asian equities and elevated oil prices outweighed strong fund demand. Elsewhere, French lawmakers moved on stablecoin taxation, JPMorgan published its first return range for bitcoin, and Bitget agreed to buy a Thai exchange.

Key takeaways

• Bitcoin slipped about 0.5% to roughly $81,400 despite the biggest daily spot ETF inflow in nearly a month, according to CoinDesk.
• Kospi’s drop and a weak Elice debut fed concerns over AI infrastructure valuations.
• France’s parliament approved an amendment that would end tax deferral on crypto-to-stablecoin trades from January 2027.
• JPMorgan expects bitcoin to return about 10% a year over the next decade but stays cautious on its portfolio role.

Bitcoin price news: ETF inflows meet equity weakness

Bitcoin fell to around $81,400, a 0.5% decline, even after spot ETF products recorded their largest single-day inflow in almost a month, CoinDesk reported. Investing.com said the token dipped below $82,000 as elevated oil prices and the outlook for Federal Reserve policy weighed on sentiment.

The pressure came from equities. CoinDesk reported that options traders were seeking downside protection, a sign that some participants are paying up to hedge against further declines. CoinDesk’s day-ahead note said equity weakness could damp demand for bitcoin after the inflow surge. The question for the session is whether ETF buying can keep absorbing selling if risk assets stay under pressure.

AI selloff deepens in Asia

South Korea’s Kospi fell 3.7% and later by almost 4%, according to CoinDesk’s live coverage. The index was dragged lower by AI worries and by one of the weakest IPO debuts in the country’s history: data center company Elice tumbled around 30% on its first day of trading.

The slump added to doubts about valuations in AI infrastructure. Crude oil compounded the uncertainty, with Brent rising above $111. Higher energy costs can complicate the rate outlook, and that is the link Investing.com drew between oil, the Fed and bitcoin’s slide. Traders will watch whether the chip and AI-related weakness spreads to other markets, since bitcoin has recently tracked equity sentiment.

France targets crypto-to-stablecoin trades

France’s parliament approved an amendment, numbered I-3898, that would subject crypto-to-stablecoin trades to a 31% capital gains tax, CoinDesk reported. The measure removes the tax deferral currently available for swaps into MiCA-compliant stablecoins, with effect from January 2027.

Holders who rotate into stablecoins to park gains would face a tax event at the point of the swap rather than later. Stablecoin issuers and exchanges serving French customers are the most obvious parties affected. The amendment’s path through the rest of the legislative process will determine whether it takes effect as written.

JPMorgan puts a number on bitcoin

JPMorgan projects bitcoin returns of about 10% a year over the next decade, ahead of stocks, bonds and gold, CoinDesk reported. It is the first time the bank has given a range for bitcoin returns in its research. The bank remains cautious about the asset’s role in portfolios, so the forecast is not an endorsement of heavier allocations. The report is a projection, not a market signal, and bitcoin’s near-term moves are still being driven by macro conditions.

Bitget expands in Southeast Asia

Bitget will buy GMO’s Thai crypto exchange as part of a push into Southeast Asia, according to Investing.com. Terms were not detailed in the report. The deal gives Bitget a local platform in Thailand, one more example of global exchanges expanding through acquisitions rather than building from scratch.

What to watch

Watch Asian equity trading for signs the AI selloff is easing or spreading, and whether Brent holds above $111. For crypto, the next ETF flow data will show whether Monday’s inflow was a one-day spike or a trend. In Paris, further steps on the stablecoin levy are the main regulatory item.