Former BitMEX CEO Predicts Bitcoin Price to Hit $750K-$1M by 2026

Arthur Hayes, the former CEO of BitMEX, recently appeared on the Impact Theory podcast, which Tom Bilyeu hosts, to discuss his outlook on Bitcoin’s future.

According to a report by Ray Salmond for Cointelegraph published earlier yesterday, Hayes predicted that the cryptocurrency will reach a valuation between $750,000 and $1 million by the year 2026. He attributed this bullish forecast to a variety of economic factors, including government intervention, inflation, and the state of the global economy.

Economic Crisis and Government Intervention

Hayes believes that a significant financial crisis is looming, one that could be as severe as the Great Depression. He argues that before this crisis hits, there will be a massive bull market in various asset classes, including stocks, real estate, and cryptocurrencies. Hayes points to the U.S. government’s tendency to intervene in economic downturns as a root cause of structural issues in the economy. According to him, this intervention disrupts natural market cycles and leads to an endless loop of money printing, which in turn fuels inflation.

The Role of Debt and Inflation

Hayes emphasizes that the growing government debt and the need for its rollover, coupled with declining productivity, will force the government to resort to money printing. While this may initially stimulate bull markets, it will eventually lead to uncontrollable inflation. He anticipates a significant market peak in 2026, followed by a severe economic downturn by the end of the decade.

The State of the U.S. Banking System

Discussing future inflation contributors, Hayes highlights the $7.75 trillion in U.S. debt that needs to be rolled over by 2026. He also mentions the yield curve inversion in U.S. bonds as a significant factor. Hayes argues that the U.S. banking system is functionally insolvent due to regulatory frameworks that encourage risky financial behaviors. This insolvency limits the system’s ability to buy more debt, exacerbating the economic situation.

Investment in Bitcoin as an Alternative

Hayes suggests that the challenges facing traditional financial systems will drive investors towards alternative investment options, including Bitcoin. He believes that Bitcoin’s fixed supply and potential for high returns make it an attractive option for investors looking to diversify their portfolios.

Future Milestones for Bitcoin

Despite his grim outlook on the global and U.S. economy, Hayes remains optimistic about Bitcoin’s potential. He expects the cryptocurrency to fluctuate between $25,000 and $30,000 in the near term. However, he believes that the approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF in various regions and the upcoming halving event could push Bitcoin’s price to a new all-time high of $70,000 by mid-2024. From there, he anticipates that Bitcoin will enter a new phase of growth, reaching his predicted range of $750,000 to $1 million by the end of 2026.

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On October 6, Hayes published an essay in which he discussed the future of the crypto market, emphasizing its relationship with happiness and market states. Hayes predicted an unprecedented bull market in the crypto space between 2023 and 2026, driven by two key factors: an increase in fiat liquidity and the commercialization of artificial intelligence (AI).

He anticipated that leading central banks, such as the US Federal Reserve and the People’s Bank of China, would print a significant amount of fiat money in the next 2-3 years to rescue their government bond markets. This influx of capital, which Hayes humorously referred to as “toilet paper money,” was expected to fuel the rapid development of AI technologies. Hayes called this convergence a “Double Happiness” effect, which he believed would particularly benefit cryptocurrencies like Filecoin.

Despite criticisms for his consistently bullish outlook, Hayes remains focused on long-term market cycles and is investing in assets he consideres undervalued. He also warned of the historical pitfalls of excessive debt and money printing, citing concerns about unsustainable global debt levels.

Featured Image via Midjourney

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