Bitcoin and gold surge after US elections, but $378 million short squeeze casts doubt on debasement trade

Bitcoin's rally above $81,000 alongside gold has revived speculation that investors are seeking protection against the weakening US dollar.The largest cryptocurrency rebounded from about $75,600 on Nov. 4, while gold futures surged 3.4% to $4,061.10, their biggest daily gain in three months. The dollar also weakened as investors digested the Democrats' sweeping victory in the US midterm elections.The simultaneous gains revived talks of “the debasement trade,” a strategy in which investors buy scarce assets such as Bitcoin and gold to protect their wealth against currency depreciation and mounting government debt.However, broader financial markets told a more complicated story. The S&P 500 jumped 1.6%, the Dow gained 3%, and Treasury yields declined as investors welcomed the prospect of reduced political uncertainty and constraints on President Donald Trump's fiscal agenda.Those developments suggest Bitcoin's recovery could have more to do with improving market sentiment than a fundamental shift in how investors view the dollar.Why BTC's rally alongside gold revived debasement fearsThe argument that Bitcoin is increasingly behaving like gold has gained traction among institution...