Bitcoin fluctuates around the $66,000 mark, while chip stocks extend their rally and the Japanese yen hits a 40-year low.

Bitcoin traded sideways near $66,000 on Wednesday, holding steady at its two-week high. Driven by upbeat AI sentiment, global chip stocks rose for the second consecutive session, while USD/JPY fell below 163 to hit its lowest level since 1986. As of press time, Bitcoin is up nearly 1% intraday, around 3% week-to-date, with 24-hour trading volume of ~$31 billion. Ethereum (ETH) trades at ~$1,920, up ~3% weekly; XRP gains 2% to $1.13, TRX edges higher; HYPE underperforms, down 4% on the day and ~10% over the past seven days. In Asian equities, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 1%. South Korea’s KOSPI surged 5% before paring gains at midday, with SK Hynix leading gains by over 13%. The move follows the U.S. semiconductor index’s more than 5% jump on Tuesday, which helped it exit its technical bear market. In the forex market, USD/JPY broke below 163, marking a nearly 40-year low. While Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama stated authorities remain ready to take decisive forex intervention steps if needed, a stronger U.S. dollar, rising U.S. Treasury yields, and Iran-related oil price hikes have collectively amplified yen depreciation pressure. Analysts note that the fiat currency depreciation environment has long been a key pillar of Bitcoin’s narrative as an "inflation hedge and currency devaluation safeguard," though Bitcoin’s recent price correlation with chip stocks remains stronger than its link to the yen exchange rate.