#GlobalTechSell-OffHitsRiskAssets Global markets have entered a pronounced “risk-off” phase as the first week of February 2026 unfolds. What began as a valuation reset in high-growth technology stocks has now evolved into a broad-based retreat from risk, impacting cryptocurrencies, commodities, and emerging market equities. This is no longer an isolated sector correction — it reflects a systemic repricing of growth, leverage, and future earnings expectations.

At the center of this shift is rising anxiety around artificial intelligence investment cycles. Recent breakthroughs in automation tools have altered investor perception. AI is no longer viewed purely as a productivity catalyst; it is increasingly seen as a disruptive force capable of cannibalizing existing software and service revenues. As a result, confidence in long-term monetization models has weakened.
Compounding these concerns is growing skepticism over massive capital expenditures being deployed into AI infrastructure. With hundreds of billions committed globally, markets are demanding near-term profitability and measurable returns. Companies unable to demonstrate clear revenue pathways are being aggressively repriced, regardless of their technological leadership.
This repricing has spilled far beyond Silicon Valley. As mega-cap technology stocks weigh on major indices, forced de-risking and margin-driven liquidations are spreading across asset classes. Bitcoin has come under heavy pressure, testing key psychological levels and at one point trading nearly 50% below its October peak. Higher-beta assets such as Ether, Solana, and BNB have experienced even sharper drawdowns as traders prioritize liquidity over long-term exposure.
Commodities have not been spared. In an unusual development, silver has suffered extreme volatility while gold has also declined materially. Traditionally defensive assets are being sold alongside risk assets, suggesting margin calls and portfolio rebalancing rather than a simple shift to safety. This “sell everything” dynamic is characteristic of late-stage deleveraging phases.
Regionally, market stress has intensified. South Korea’s Kospi has declined sharply, while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 are experiencing their weakest momentum in months. The synchronized nature of these declines underscores the global nature of the current liquidity contraction.
Importantly, this environment reflects rotation rather than outright collapse. Capital is flowing out of crowded momentum trades — particularly AI, software, and semiconductors — into defensive sectors, cash equivalents, and lower-volatility assets. However, the speed and scale of this rotation have created fragile market conditions where even strong earnings reports are being ignored in favor of concerns about future guidance and spending discipline.
In such “brittle” markets, price action is driven more by positioning and risk management than by fundamentals. Volatility increases, correlations rise, and liquidity becomes selective. These phases often feel chaotic, but they also tend to lay the groundwork for healthier market structures once leverage is reset.
For investors and traders, the priority now is capital preservation and structural awareness. Chasing rebounds in unstable conditions carries elevated risk. The focus should remain on liquidity trends, institutional positioning, and confirmation signals before re-engaging aggressively.
This is a market being reshaped — not broken.
Deleveraging creates pain.
Repricing creates opportunity.