Asian Stocks Shed Nearly $550B as Bitcoin Gains 4% Amid AI Selloff

Bitcoin (BTC) rose 4% as stocks across South Korea, Taiwan and Japan lost nearly $550 billion, with chipmakers sliding amid concern that tighter data center rules could slow AI spending.

Chipmaker shares also dropped sharply as losses swept the three Asian markets. The nearly $550 billion figure covers losses across South Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

Investor worries centered on whether stricter data center rules following the Democrats’ midterm victory could slow investment in artificial intelligence. That concern connected the equity decline to rules that could slow AI spending.

Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency, gained 4% during the same market episode. Its rise contrasted with the selloff in Asian shares, giving the cross-asset story a split direction. The moves put Bitcoin’s gain beside a nearly $550 billion equity loss as investors assessed the possibility of a slower AI buildout. Equities and crypto moved in opposite directions in this market episode.