In this episode, Nik Bhatia is joined by Demian Schatt to break down one of the most volatile 48-hour stretches in recent bond market history. As Treasury yields spiked 60 basis points and the MOVE Index surged, Nik unpacks the hidden mechanics behind the dislocation—explaining how a highly leveraged basis trade began to unwind, triggering forced selling and market-wide panic. He walks through the role of China’s currency devaluation, the impact of new 125% tariffs, and how synthetic credit in the swaps market amplified the chaos. With bond volatility ripping, Nik explores what it means for the Fed’s reaction function, financial stability, and bitcoin’s surprising strength. Holding steady at $80,000 through it all, bitcoin is beginning to look like the safe haven asset markets weren’t expecting.
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Nik Bhatia's Twitter: https://twitter.com/timevalueofbtc
Creative Director Matthew Ball's Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewrball
Researcher Demian Schatt's Twitter: https://x.com/demianschatt
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