Bitcoin Stalls at 78K While Prediction Markets Face Legal Crackdown

Bitcoin consolidation below seventy-eight thousand as ETF inflows hit two billion in eight days while short-term holders unload. Wisconsin launches legal offensive against Kalshi, Polymarket, Coinbase, Robinhood, and Crypto.com, challenging prediction markets as unlicensed gambling. AI agents using crypto gain traction as institutional infrastructure-Morgan Stanley positions itself as stablecoin reserve manager. Arbitrum's seventy-one million dollar freeze sparks decentralization debate. Intel surges twenty-two percent on earnings as U.S. holds twenty-six billion dollar gain. Geopolitical headwinds from Iran war and Japan inflation data weigh on risk assets. DeFi reprices credit risk in forty-eight hours post-KelpDAO exploit.