Ether, XRP Stay Flat as Crypto Decouples From Chip Stocks

Crypto had traded in step with semiconductor shares through most of July, as investors treated bitcoin and AI-linked equities as part of the same risk trade. That relationship has weakened: digital assets held relatively firm through a $797 billion one-day wipeout in U.S. megacap technology and a more than 40% retreat in South Korea’s Kospi from its June peak. The divergence matters because it points to crypto-specific liquidity, rather than equity-market stress, as the stronger force shaping token prices.

CoinDesk reported on July 30 that bitcoin was little changed near $64,100, ether traded around $1,905 and XRP stood at $1.07. About $28 billion of bitcoin and $10 billion of ether changed hands. Samsung Electronics said chip profit surged more than 250-fold amid AI-memory shortages, yet its shares rose only 2%; SK Hynix fell 17% on Wednesday despite a 557% profit jump. Over seven sessions, HYPE lost 8%, XRP 6% and bitcoin 3%, while BNB was the only major token with a marginal gain.