21 Shocking Bitcoin Predictions That Will Define 2026 | Eric Yakes

In this episode, I chat with Eric Yakes, author and founder of Epoch Ventures, about his Epoch Ventures 2026 Bitcoin Ecosystem Report, covering 21 predictions for Bitcoin's evolution this year. We tackle Bitcoin's path to taking gold's market share, the rotation trade catalyst that could drive prices to $150K+, and how Bitcoiners are accidentally FUDing themselves with quantum computing concerns. The conversation also explores the failure of crypto's "fat protocol thesis," Bitcoin's growing mainstream media acceptance, and the rise of application-layer adoption through projects like chat.

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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:59 - Noster & Chat App Adoption
11:04 - Bitcoin to $150K Price Prediction Framework
17:09 - Breaking the Four-Year Cycle Narrative
20:01 - 2026: The Year Bitcoin Decouples
38:05 - Meta Planet & Bitcoin Treasury Companies
46:54 - Federal Bank Charter for Bitcoin Companies
55:59 - Bitcoin-Backed Stablecoins & Financial Products
01:02:12 - Block/Strike Acquisition Prediction
01:06:02 - Clarity Act & SEC Rulemaking
01:07:04 - Republicans Lose Midterms & Regulatory Blowback
01:12:04 - Samurai Wallet & Tornado Cash Pardons
01:14:54 - Square Merchants Offer Bitcoin Discounts
01:16:44 - Mining Companies & AI Compute Revenue
01:23:11 - Quantum Computing FUD Discussion
01:25:23 - Bitcoin Perception Gap Closes
01:26:52 - Bitcoin Core Maintains Dominance

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