Investment Bank Survey: AI Disrupts Software Industry, Private Secondary Market Investors Shift to Wait-and-See Stance

According to CCTV Finance, a rare scene this week saw Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s CEO, team up with six major Wall Street asset management firms to endorse the concept of establishing AI computing power as an independent asset class. Analysts view this as Huang putting his proposed token economics into practice, and note that the AI boom is evolving from a technological race to a capital race. However, the latest initiative has raised investor concerns over "circular financing" and debt risks. In response to the doubts, Huang personally stepped in to reassure the market, stating that NVIDIA may provide a residual value support mechanism of up to 25% for individual investment projects and will conduct careful evaluations of each project. Subsequently, market sentiment eased slightly.

CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost wrote that Bitcoin’s apparent demand has improved notably but remains negative at -32,000 BTC. When Bitcoin entered its current consolidation range in early June, demand was estimated at -272,000 BTC. This is a positive development, though not yet robust enough. Similar patterns were observed in February and May 2026, after which demand weakened again. This may also be tied to falling average mining output, as hash rate has declined, leading to lower production. Thus, this is not yet strong positive momentum, but the trend merits close monitoring. Note: Apparent demand is calculated as the number of newly mined BTC minus supply that has not moved for over a year. In other words, this metric assesses whether structural hoarding is sufficient to absorb new supply generated by the network.

Binance founder CZ posted on social media, stating, "As of August 2026, over 20.07 million Bitcoin will have been mined, leaving only roughly 4.4% of its total supply left to mine. I estimate that 10% to 20% of existing Bitcoin has been lost, is inaccessible, or cannot be recovered. It is a deflationary asset."

According to CCTV International News, Iran's Judiciary Chief Ejei stated today that the absurd remarks made by the US President regarding the Strait of Hormuz stem entirely from his personal delusion. In the real world, Iran is the real owner and dominant power of this vital international waterway. Ejei emphasized that Iran has proven militarily that the Strait of Hormuz is an integral part of Iran's territory and sovereignty.

Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs together recorded combined net inflows of $1.1 billion last week, ending a trend of sustained net outflows that has persisted for most of 2026, as institutional capital flows back to the crypto market. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF IBIT was the main source of these inflows, accounting for roughly 80% of total inflows into Bitcoin ETFs. However, market trading activity remains relatively subdued, with BTC ETF volumes hitting their second-lowest level since October 2024 last week. Prior to this, BTC and ETH ETFs had faced persistent net outflow pressures. As market sentiment improved, institutional investors resumed increasing their digital asset allocations, resulting in a clear reversal in ETF fund flows. Market analysts note that IBIT has remained the primary channel for institutional capital to enter the Bitcoin market, showing that traditional financial institutions still prefer gaining crypto exposure via regulated ETF vehicles.

As AI firm Anthropic’s valuation continues to soar, the market is re-evaluating whether the artificial intelligence investment boom is entering "bubble territory." Reports indicate Anthropic is planning an IPO, with market expectations that its listed valuation could exceed $2 trillion, making it one of the largest IPOs in history. Anthropic has attracted significant investor attention with its rapid growth driven by the Claude series of AI models. The company was valued at around $965 billion in its May 2026 funding round, while recent secondary market trading has pushed its valuation even higher. Supporters argue that Anthropic’s high valuation reflects the pace of AI commercialization and its future growth potential. The market expects the company’s annual revenue to reach $10 billion to $12 billion by the end of 2026, as investors bet on the continued penetration of AI models in the enterprise market. However, critics point out that the current AI industry is facing a mismatch between valuation and profitability. Top AI firms including Anthropic and OpenAI still need to invest massive sums in computing power, data centers, and model training, leaving uncertainty over whether future revenue growth can cover infrastructure costs. Some investors warn that the AI investment boom bears similarities to the dot-com bubble, with massive capital betting prematurely on future returns that have not yet materialized. However, others argue that AI is distinct from the dot-com bubble, as leading firms have already demonstrated real business demand and a rapidly growing revenue base. As AI giants like Anthropic and OpenAI prepare for their IPOs, the AI industry’s true value and market valuation will face greater scrutiny in the capital markets.