Veteran macro and crypto investor Dan Tapiero, founder of 50T Funds (formerly 10T Holdings), says Bitcoin’s current cycle is far from over. According to Tapiero, the market is now in its mid-stage, with the most powerful leg of the move still ahead. His base-case target for this cycle: $180,000 Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Still Mid-Cycle, Not a Blow-Off Top
Tapiero argues that Bitcoin’s price action should be viewed through a macro lens rather than short-term volatility. In his view, the structural drivers that powered earlier rallies remain firmly intact. He points to continued currency debasement, rising government deficits, and a global shift away from traditional monetary discipline as the core forces pushing investors toward scarce assets. Bitcoin, with its fixed supply, remains the cleanest expression of that trend. From this perspective, Tapiero sees the current market as consolidating strength rather than approaching exhaustion.
Stablecoins Emerging as the Real Payment Rails
Beyond Bitcoin, Tapiero believes stablecoins are becoming the backbone of the global financial system. In 2025 alone, stablecoin transaction volumes reached $33 trillion, a figure he views as a turning point. Rather than competing with banks, stablecoins are increasingly being adopted by traditional financial institutions for cross-border settlement, treasury operations, and global payments. Tapiero expects this integration to accelerate in 2026, positioning stablecoins as the dominant digital payment layer worldwide.
Bigger Picture: A Multi-Trillion-Dollar Asset Class
Tapiero’s outlook extends well beyond a single cycle. He sees the digital asset market reaching $10 trillion during the current expansion. Over the next decade, he believes a $50 trillion valuation is realistic as crypto infrastructure merges with traditional finance. Parallel to his crypto thesis, he projects gold at $5,500 per ounce and silver at $85 per ounce, reinforcing his broader inflation-hedge narrative.
What’s Fueling the Bull Case
Several catalysts underpin Tapiero’s optimism:
- •Monetary easing: Falling interest rates and aggressive fiscal spending support risk assets.
- •AI infrastructure investment: Massive capital deployment into AI is increasing demand for alternative stores of value.
- •Regulatory shift in the U.S.: Tapiero describes this phase as the “Americanization of crypto,” where U.S. capital markets and regulation become net positives rather than obstacles.
- •Next growth wave: Tokenization, blockchain–AI convergence, and on-chain prediction markets are, in his view, the most attractive infrastructure plays heading into 2026.
Bottom Line
Tapiero’s message is clear: Bitcoin’s current cycle is not in its final act, stablecoins are quietly reshaping global finance, and digital assets are transitioning from a speculative niche into a foundational layer of the financial system. If his thesis plays out, the next phase of the market won’t just be about higher prices, but about crypto becoming unavoidable.