Data from CoinMarketCap shows that the total crypto market capitalization declined by approximately $1.16 trillion during this period, highlighting the extent of the market contraction.
As cryptocurrencies struggle to regain momentum, the artificial intelligence sector continues to attract significant capital.
Companies including OpenAIthe developer of ChatGPTAnd Anthropicthe creator of Claude AIhave collectively raised approximately $140 billion since February 2026.
This figure stands in stark contrast to the combined valuation of AI-related crypto tokens, which remains around $15 billion.
This disparity highlights a growing gap between traditional AI investments and blockchain-based AI assets.
The interest in AI goes beyond cryptography
Public attention to artificial intelligence has also outpaced interest in cryptocurrencies.
Search data from Google shows that global interest in AI has consistently outpaced crypto-related searches since 2021, marking the biggest divergence between the two sectors in nearly five years.
Source: Google Trends
Despite the growing focus on AI technologies, this increased interest has yet to translate into sustainable gains for AI-related tokens in the crypto market.
Expert sees monetization gap
According to Marie-CarolineCEO of FurtifEXThe disconnect between rapid investment in AI and the performance of AI tokens reflects what she described as a monetization gap.
In a private email to AMBCryptoCarola said the intersection between blockchain and artificial intelligence is still in its early stages.
“This suggests that the intersection of the AI-crypto sector may still be in its infancy in terms of monetization.”
She noted that most capital invested in AI currently targets infrastructure development rather than token ecosystems.
“A significant portion of current AI investment and venture funding still targets the business, product and infrastructure layers, as leading AI companies strive to improve the computing power and capabilities of AI networks,” she added.
AI tokens remain tied to crypto market cycles
Market data also suggests that AI tokens are still largely moving in tandem with broader cryptocurrency trends.
Projects such as Recover.ai (FET) and Virtual protocol (VIRTUAL) have historically followed the direction of the broader crypto market, rallying during periods of increased market activity.
Previous rebounds in January 2024, September 2024, and March 2025 occurred alongside broader crypto market rallies, highlighting the sector’s dependence on overall market dynamics.
Source: TradingView
Carola believes this dynamic could change once investor appetite for risky assets returns.
“Cryptocurrencies and tokens related to the AI sector could become beneficiaries once risk appetite returns to digital assets.”
She added that as decentralized infrastructure such as data marketplaces, GPU sharing networks, and on-chain autonomous systems mature, blockchain-based AI platforms could begin to capture more value in the growing artificial intelligence economy.
From a historical perspective, the crypto market often evaluates emerging narratives with some delay.
As a result, some analysts believe that AI tokens could represent a next step in the sector’s value rotation, especially as interest in artificial intelligence agents and decentralized computer networks continues to grow.
For now, however, the sector’s performance remains closely tied to the broader crypto market cycle, meaning a sustained recovery in digital assets would likely be the main catalyst for AI token growth.
Final summary
- The divergence of interest between cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence is at its highest level in five years.
- Analysts say the divergence could represent a structural opportunity once crypto market sentiment improves.
