The Wolf Of All Streets

Bernstein says Bitcoin and the broader crypto market have likely “bottomed,” keeping big upside targets in play, while traditional finance keeps leaning in with Morgan Stanley filing for new Bitcoin and Solana ETFs as spot Bitcoin ETF inflows rebound. We’ll also cover why 2026 is shifting from “writing crypto rules” to actually making them work—across accounting, stablecoins, and tax reporting—as the industry moves from hype to hard compliance.

The Crypto Town Hall kicked off 2026 with host Scott Melker and panelists discussing Bitcoin's sideways action amid fading year-end selling pressure, whale accumulation in BTC/ETH, massive ETF inflows, and renewed altcoin strength (ETH, SOL, XRP flipping key MAs). Topics included Morgan Stanley's new Bitcoin and Solana trust filings, Venezuela's political shift and rumored Bitcoin reserve, Ledger's latest data breach risks, self-custody warnings, government fraud/waste, and California's billionaire tax proposal. The panel highlighted institutional adoption, geopolitical tailwinds, and building market optimism as key drivers for 2026 growth.

Bitcoin ripped higher as spot ETF inflows surged (the biggest daily haul since October), with traders pointing to a fresh “risk-on” bid and a geopolitical catalyst out of Venezuela. We break down the rumor that Venezuela may be sitting on a massive, unconfirmed “shadow” Bitcoin reserve and why that narrative (plus the flow data) is adding fuel to the push toward the next major psychological levels.

The Crypto Town Hall discussed Bitcoin’s current sideways trading amid year-end holiday slowdowns, highlighting whale buying and short squeezes but cautioning on potential retracements. The panel emphasized the need for major catalysts like regulatory clarity (e.g., the Clarity Act) and Layer 2 solutions to drive adoption. Privacy enhancements and institutional involvement were noted as key for future growth. Quantum computing fears were largely dismissed as overblown, with AI-driven risks seen as more immediate. The conversation concluded with an introduction to Bob, a Bitcoin-native DeFi platform aiming to unlock Bitcoin’s utility by enabling decentralized, trustless financial services, bridging Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems, and promoting broader adoption in the coming years.

Bitcoin surges toward $100K as Venezuela headlines and U.S. action/capture news sparked a shock-driven rally and short squeeze, while traders watched key levels for a continuation. We also covered why the move may have been reinforced by returning spot Bitcoin ETF inflows, alongside a broader “risk-off” bid that pushed gold and silver higher. From there we zoomed out to the macro/policy setup—Fed rate-cut debate, Tom Lee’s warning of a 10–15% pullback early in 2026—and the regulatory backdrop, including Lummis retiring, Arizona’s crypto tax push, and the growing “Bitcoin-only” narrative.