Crypto Long & Short: Bitcoin-backed loans belong in the cost-of-capital conversation
Bitcoin-backed loans are emerging as a legitimate capital-efficiency tool, not merely a crypto story. Offering competitive 5.5% rates with lower fees than HELOCs or hard money, they appeal to BTC-holding professionals managing existing debt. However, volatility risk demands conservative sizing and investor sophistication. Meanwhile, stablecoins are becoming critical settlement infrastructure for emerging markets struggling with cross-border payment friction.
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The 2036 Issue: Bitcoin Mining Is Dead, Long Live the Miners!
Bitcoin mining faces a critical 2036 reckoning as block subsidies halve toward zero. Hashprice hit all-time lows of $28.90/PH/day following Bitcoin's 21% crash in January 2026, forcing miners to decommission ASIC fleets for AI operations. Without explosive adoption or $272,000 Bitcoin prices, miners depend on transaction fees—a risky bet given minimal mempool activity and Layer 2 adoption failures.