Asia Morning Briefing: Polymarket Bettors Still Expect Big Strategy Buys Even as Saylor Prepares for a Weak Market

Polymarket has reported a surge in the odds of Bitcoin dropping to $80,000 by year-end, now standing at 40%, indicating a shift in market sentiment towards skepticism regarding Bitcoin's near-term growth. This development reflects broader concerns among investors about the cryptocurrency's stability and potential price declines.

Polymarket is planning to implement an in-house market maker to trade against users, as part of its expansion efforts in the U.S. This move comes amid scrutiny faced by rival Kalshi over similar trading practices, highlighting a competitive landscape in the prediction market sector.

Hedera's token, HBAR, has retreated alongside a broader decline in the cryptocurrency market, with a reported drop of 3.9% as part of the CoinDesk 20 index's overall downturn. This decline comes despite speculation around new institutional products that had previously driven altcoin momentum.

The cryptocurrency market experienced a significant downturn as Bitcoin's price slipped back to $90,000, following softer-than-expected private inflation data that initially sparked hopes for a market recovery. This decline comes after a brief period where Bitcoin had reclaimed higher values, indicating volatility in market sentiment.

The CoinDesk 20 index has experienced a decline of 1.5%, with nearly all constituents trading lower, except for Bitcoin Cash (BCH), which saw a slight increase of 0.5%. This downturn reflects ongoing volatility in the cryptocurrency market, impacting investor sentiment and trading strategies.

Zcash co-founder has publicly disagreed with Michael Saylor regarding the importance of privacy in Bitcoin, highlighting a significant debate within the cryptocurrency community about user protection versus regulatory compliance. This disagreement underscores the differing philosophies on how cryptocurrencies should be positioned in relation to privacy and transparency.

STRF has emerged as a standout credit instrument in the cryptocurrency market after nine months of trading, with its senior preferred stock rebounding 20% from November lows. This recovery indicates a shift in investor preference towards more secure investment options amidst market volatility.

Aptos' token has dropped 6% to $1.85, breaking through key support levels and underperforming against the broader cryptocurrency market. This decline reflects a significant technical breakdown that has accelerated in recent trading sessions.