According to The Kobeissi Letter, short interest as a percentage of shares outstanding in the Russell 2000 index has reached approximately 4.6%, marking the highest level in at least six years and nearly doubling since 2022 (source: The Kobeissi Letter, May 8, 2025). This surge in bearish sentiment suggests that investors are increasingly positioning for further declines in small-cap equities. For crypto traders, heightened volatility and risk aversion in traditional small-cap stocks could drive increased capital inflows into digital assets as investors seek alternative risk exposures, especially in trending tokens and DeFi projects.