The wave of layoffs hits the US, and recession expectations rise: How will Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies perform?

GateNews
BTC-0,33%

January 29 News, the US labor market is signaling a clear slowdown. Major companies such as Amazon, Pinterest, UPS, and Nike have announced layoffs one after another, with Amazon alone cutting approximately 16,000 jobs in January 2026. Data shows that US employers have reduced about 1.2 million positions over the past year, marking the highest layoffs since the pandemic, and the recession outlook has quickly intensified.

According to Global Markets Investor forecasts, US layoffs are expected to surge by 58% year-over-year in 2025, making it one of the most severe years since the 2008 financial crisis. The average job search duration for unemployed individuals has extended to about 11 weeks, the longest since 2021. Meanwhile, the probability of finding a new job has dropped to 43.1%, further weakening market confidence. Creative Planning strategist Charlie Bilello pointed out that in the past three months, the US has seen an average monthly reduction of 22,000 jobs, and similar historical situations have almost always been accompanied by recessions. Swissblock Chief Macroeconomist Henrik Zeberg also warned that the US economy is accelerating its descent into a downturn.

Macroeconomic pressures have begun to impact asset allocation. Funds are increasingly flowing into traditional safe-haven assets such as precious metals, while Bitcoin and other digital assets are under pressure and fluctuating. The weak employment environment indicates slowing income and consumption growth, which typically suppresses demand for high-volatility assets, making it difficult for the crypto market to sustain a rebound in the short term.

However, some believe that if the economy continues to weaken, expectations of monetary easing will gradually rise, and rate cuts along with liquidity releases could create new support for cryptocurrencies in the medium to long term. Once risk appetite recovers, Bitcoin may once again become an important choice for funds to re-enter risk markets.

Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to Disclaimer.

Related Articles

Bitcoin Depot discloses a critical security vulnerability; hackers stole $3.6 million in BTC

Bitcoin Depot was hit by a security vulnerability on March 23, 2023. The hacker gained access to the IT system to steal login credentials, and without authorization transferred about 50.9 bitcoins, resulting in losses of approximately $3.67M. The incident did not affect customers’ personal data, showing the security challenges faced by Bitcoin ATM operators. This was the company’s second known major security incident, reflecting its need for stronger security measures under regulatory pressure.

MarketWhisper16m ago

Derivatives contract whale “sets 10 big targets first,” flipping a losing short position into a profit, with an unrealized gain of $1.968 million

According to on-chain analysts’ monitoring, the short position of the contract whale “first sets 10 major targets” has already generated a profit of $1.97M, holding 2,201.507 BTC shorts and 7,093 ETH shorts, with a total size of $173 million. The BTC stop-loss range is $73,000 to $73,500.

GateNews46m ago

Michael Saylor: Bitcoin may have already hit bottom, but quantum risks have been exaggerated

Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor believes Bitcoin hit its bottom around $60,000 this February, because all forced sellers in the market have already exited. He said that the catalyst for the next bull market will be a bitcoin-based banking credit system, while he believes the threat from quantum computing is being exaggerated, and he pointed out that the technical community has enough time to deal with this threat.

MarketWhisper59m ago

Gold falls to $4,715, and the BTC volatility index drops sharply by 6.42%

On April 9, gold and silver prices fell slightly, and BVIX and EVIX showed that Bitcoin and Ethereum volatility declined. The U.S. dollar rose slightly against the Chinese yuan and the Japanese yen. The Euro 50 index rose, while stock indexes in the UK and Germany fell. WTI and Brent crude oil prices increased somewhat. The Gate platform integrates products from traditional financial markets, allowing users to trade a variety of assets conveniently.

GateNews1h ago
Comment
0/400
No comments