# Commodity markets

China at a Crossroads: GDP Tops RMB140 Trillion as a Leading Scientist Faces Terminal ALS and Bitcoin Slips Under $64,000

China’s economy crossed RMB140 trillion in 2025 with 5.0% growth even as Beijing tightened rules around graduate admissions and municipal authorities promoted EV replacement and e‑bike enforcement. The terminal‑stage illness of prominent researcher Cai Lei has exposed funding fragilities in biomedical research, while bitcoin’s drop below $64,000—amid controversy over a large U.S. seizure—added pressure to risk assets.