Welcome to the US Crypto News Morning Briefing — your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.
Grab a coffee and settle in — the markets are moving, and what’s hot today may signal what’s next. Precious metals are stealing headlines, stocks are holding steady, and Bitcoin…well, it might just be waiting in the wings.
Crypto News of the Day: Tom Lee Explains Why Gold and Silver Are Dominating Investors’ Attention
Investors are increasingly turning to precious metals as gold and silver soar to multiyear highs. Against this backdrop, BitMine’s Tom Lee says the trend is signaling more than just short-term speculation.
In a recent appearance on CNBC’s Power Lunch, Lee, BitMine’s Head of Research, explained why metals have become a “real, genuine asset class” and what that means for equities and crypto.
“Metals are proving to be a real, genuine asset class because I think for many years, maybe people thought only gold bugs should own gold. But now, especially the last three years, metals have, I think, proven to be a bit of a juggernaut,” Lee said.
He noted that the rise of metals is driven by a combination of geopolitical uncertainty, dollar weakness, and dovish central bank policy. Nevertheless, Lee says that the metals rally should not be seen as a negative for stocks.
“I don’t think that those are bad for equities because if this is anticipating dollar weakness or more dovish moves by central banks, then it’s good for asset prices,” he explained.
According to Lee, a weaker dollar and accelerating earnings growth provide a stabilizing force for equities, even as metals draw investor attention.
Tom Lee’s Top Sector Picks and the Crypto Outlook for 2026
Investors looking to position themselves for the rest of 2026 may want to focus on Lee’s sector recommendations.
From BitMine’s perspective, top picks include energy, basic materials, financials, industrials, small-cap stocks, and the Mag-7 tech companies.
“Financials are being buffeted because the White House is choosing winners and losers…But the bank fundamentals are so good, and I think tokenization and blockchain are really big productivity drivers, and AI is a huge tailwind that I think banks are in the process of rerating more like tech stocks over time,” he said.
While traditional markets are anchored, Lee highlighted the current state of crypto, which has lagged metals in performance. The October 2025 deleveraging, he said, continues to impact crypto markets.
“There was a massive deleveraging…some exchanges and market makers…so the industry is sort of limping along, but the fundamentals have improved a lot,” Lee noted.
He added that, historically, periods when metals rise sharply are often followed by renewed gains in Bitcoin and Ethereum once metals stabilize.
Lee also addressed short-term uncertainties, including government shutdowns and potential earnings disappointments, noting that such events often present buying opportunities rather than long-term threats.
“In the short term, of course, shutdowns create uncertainty…those have all proven to be buying opportunities,” he said.
Overall, BitMine’s Tom Lee paints a picture of a market in transition. Metals are commanding investor attention today, but crypto could see a surge once traditional safe havens pause.
Investors seeking a balanced approach should consider maintaining exposure to high-performing sectors, respecting metals’ momentum, and watching crypto fundamentals for signs of the next move.
Chart of the Day
Byte-Sized Alpha
Here’s a summary of more US crypto news to follow today:
* Ethereum whales add $1.3 billion on ERC-8004 Hype — But one metric still blocks a rally.
* Bitcoin tests $90,000, yet downside protection stays bid into Fed and funding risk.
* Coinbase’s first CTO says crypto will outlive Silicon Valley — Here’s why.
* Ethereum’s next big bet goes live: Who wins from ERC-8004?
* Bitcoin rebound stalls at 4% as rate-cut mood dominates ETF buzz — What’s next for price?
* Morgan Stanley goes from crypto curious to crypto committed as Wall Street ‘opens the pipes’
