--- title: "Stock Market Hits New Highs While Bitcoin, Crypto Lag—Analysts Offer Different Explanations" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/286542865.md" description: "Analysts discuss the disparity between record highs in the stock market, with the S&P 500 at 7,501, and struggling cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which is 36% below its October peak. Willy Woo attributes this divergence to a capital shift towards artificial intelligence, indicating a market trend favoring emerging technologies." datetime: "2026-05-15T09:36:35.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/286542865.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286542865.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/286542865.md) --- # Stock Market Hits New Highs While Bitcoin, Crypto Lag—Analysts Offer Different Explanations Influential cryptocurrency analysts shared their take on Thursday on why stocks are reaching new all-time highs while **Bitcoin** (CRYPTO: BTC) and the broader cryptocurrency market continue to lag. ## The AI-Trade Factor Widely followed X user **The ₿itcoin Therapist** shared an image, contrasting the **S&P 500** hitting new all-time highs, currently at 7,501, with Bitcoin, which is still down 36% from its October highs. **Willy Woo**, a vocal Bitcoin advocate and commentator, framed the market divergence as capital reallocating toward AI. “Stock indices up-only is tracking money entering big league AI. Take a look at SaaS; they also took a dive. Capital is reallocating into the next big thing,” Woo said. They may well be right. > Stock indices up-only is tracking money entering big league AI. Take a look at SaaS, they also took a dive. Capital is reallocating into the next big thing. > > — Willy Woo (@willywoo) May 14, 2026 This surge is heavily concentrated, with AI-linked stocks and “Magnificent Seven” giants dominating index performance and accounting for a massive share of total S&P 500 market capitalization Investors view AI-focused companies as the clearest long-term growth opportunity, and that conviction has been strong enough to outweigh typical equity headwinds **Read Also: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Jump After Crypto Act Passes Key Senate Vote: Analyst Says BTC 'Positioned' For A Rebound Toward $86,000** ## Dimmed Rate Cut Hopes Impacting Bitcoin More? Cryptocurrency analyst **Benjamin Cowen** had a different explanation. They attributed Bitcoin’s lag to its higher position on the “risk curve” and stronger dependence on loose monetary policy. “Rising inflation has priced out rate cuts for the next couple of years, which more immediately affects BTC,” Cowen said. Indeed, the probability of a rate cut doesn’t exceed 50% until December 2027, according to the CME FedWatch tool. ## The Correlation Argument Popular cryptocurrency podcaster **Scott Melker** stated that BTC and equities are and have always been uncorrelated assets. While the two assets diverged notably in February and March, TradingView indicates their correlation reached 0.90 in April and presently stands at 0.78. Source: TradingView **Price Action**: At the time of writing, BTC was exchanging hands at $80,611.43, up 1,04% in the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga Pro. The S&P 500 spiked 0.77% to close at 7,501.24 on Thursday, while the tech-heavy **Nasdaq Composite** ended up 0.88 at 26,635.22, both notching new closing records. **Read Also: RBC Bearings, Applied Materials And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Friday** _Photo courtesy: Shutterstock_ ### Related Stocks - [ARBKF.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ARBKF.US.md) - [BITI.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BITI.US.md) - [SKYY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SKYY.US.md) - [BTCW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BTCW.US.md) - [SMH.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SMH.US.md) - [WGMI.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/WGMI.US.md) - [BTF.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BTF.US.md) - [QQQ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/QQQ.US.md) - [HODL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/HODL.US.md) - [BITO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BITO.US.md) - [FBTC.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/FBTC.US.md) - [IBIT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/IBIT.US.md) - [SPY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SPY.US.md) - [CONL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/CONL.US.md) - [ARKB.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ARKB.US.md) - [SBIT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SBIT.US.md) - [COIG.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/COIG.US.md) - [BTCO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BTCO.US.md) - [BRRR.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BRRR.US.md) - [BITQ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BITQ.US.md) - [VOO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VOO.US.md) - [BKCH.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BKCH.US.md) - [BTCHKD.VAHK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BTCHKD.VAHK.md) - [BTCUSD.VAHK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/BTCUSD.VAHK.md) - [.SPX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.SPX.US.md) - [.IXIC.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.IXIC.US.md) - [RBC.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RBC.US.md) - [AMAT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AMAT.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [LIVE MARKETS-In Europe, 'the pessimists are back'](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286894777.md) - [Galaxy Digital Secures One of America’s Toughest Crypto Licences to Serve New York Institutions](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286847648.md) - [Rare S&P 500 Signals: What History Says About This Rally](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286600805.md) - [Futures Pointing To Slightly Lower Open On Wall Street](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286773644.md) - [THORChain Price Outlook: Panic or Opportunity After RUNE Crashes 30%?](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286643134.md)