Strategy Sunday: The 2026 Setup — Bitcoin Breakout, XRP Narrative, Tesla Halo Effect & Quantum Bets

Hope you had a great Christmas and got everything you wanted. As we close out the year, this episode of Strategy Sunday is about doing what most people don’t do: reflecting on what worked, learning from what didn’t, and positioning early for what’s coming next — instead of reacting late when the crowd finally shows up.We start with the big question heading into 2026: Does Bitcoin have a real chance to break out next year? Right now, there’s a strong probability that BTC could move back toward all-time highs, and if that happens, it could be confirmation that the traditional 4-year cycle narrative is evolving (or even breaking). This time around, Bitcoin wasn’t driven by retail mania — it was driven by ETF flows, institutions, liquidity, and macro conditions. With rate cuts potentially coming and liquidity conditions changing, we break down what could happen if that money turns back on.From there, we shift to the follow-on trade: XRP. If Bitcoin breaks out and liquidity rotates through the market, XRP could benefit as the next wave — especially as the narrative expands beyond “replacing SWIFT” into tokenization and real-world asset settlement. We also talk honestly about underperformance, opportunity cost, and what it means to stay objective when a trade doesn’t move the way you expected.Next, we dig into the $2 trillion AI race between Meta and Tesla — two companies sitting in position to become the first $2T market cap winner of 2026. Meta is already monetizing AI through stronger engagement and ad performance, while Tesla is being valued on what its AI and autonomy could become. But the real wild card most people aren’t talking about? The SpaceX IPO halo effect — how the hype, attention, and “Elon euphoria” could spill over into Tesla as the closest public proxy for SpaceX and future-tech sentiment.We also touch on one AI crypto play that could catch a major narrative wave if crypto returns: Bittensor (TAO) — an AI-focused coin with scarcity and growing leadership in the AI-crypto sector.Finally, we close with two quantum stocks that could dominate the next hype cycle: D-Wave and IonQ. Quantum computing is not going away — it’s a technology that will eventually disrupt classical computing, and the market is already splitting into two lanes: companies delivering practical use cases today vs. companies racing toward the holy grail of universal quantum computing. D-Wave is more practical with growing revenue and real clients, while IonQ is the higher-upside, “winner-take-all” bet that could become the Nvidia of quantum if it reaches its goal.This episode is about strategy, asymmetric bets, and market psychology — and why the people who win are the ones who get positioned early, before the masses turn every move into chaos.Welcome to Strategy Sunday.

Why didn’t Bitcoin, XRP, and Ethereum perform the way everyone expected this year? In this episode of Strategy Sunday, we break down why this crypto cycle confused even the biggest voices in the space—and why it may not have failed at all, just been delayed.We explore the theory that COVID quietly stretched the traditional four-year crypto cycle into a five-year one, pushing the real expansion into 2025–2026. From government intervention and institutional money to market manipulation, liquidity timing, and shifting interest rates, this episode explains what really changed.Beyond crypto, we zoom out into the bigger picture: asymmetric investing, why beating 9–11% annually can quietly change your life, and why crashes create the largest wealth transfers. We also dive into high-conviction themes shaping the future—deep-sea mining (TMC), nuclear energy, AI’s looming energy bottleneck, and the rise of quantum computing with companies like D-Wave and IonQ.This is a long-term, big-picture conversation about cycles, psychology, missed opportunities, and why the next decade will be defined by the intersection of compute, energy, and data. Whether the market feels cold or euphoric, this episode is about staying strategic when everyone else is emotional.

Welcome to Strategy Sunday, where we don’t react — we position.In this episode, host Runup on Taha breaks down the real forces shaping the next week, the next quarter, and potentially the rest of your financial life. From the looming AI-driven energy crisis to why nuclear power is no longer optional, we explore how hard limits in society create the biggest investment opportunities.You’ll hear:Why energy — not chips — is the next AI bottleneckHow small nuclear reactors could power the future of data centersWhy panic selling drives volatility — and how disciplined investors winA deep dive into OKLO, nuclear energy, and long-term conviction investingThe truth about AI bubble fears, market psychology, and rare historical signalsWhy Alphabet, metals, and energy could explode into 2026Why charts alone won’t make you wealthy — and what actually doesThis episode is about macro thinking, structural cycles, and positioning ahead of consensus. If you want clarity in chaos and strategy over fear, this is your Sunday reset.

Welcome to Strategy Sunday, where we cut through the panic, the noise, and the internet chaos to bring you the real moves that can shape your week, your quarter, and your entire financial future. Tonight, we’re diving straight into the XRP fear storm, Bitcoin’s “quiet” bear market, and the emotional traps that keep average investors losing while the strategic ones win big.We break down why XRP’s flat price isn’t a failure—it’s compression. Massive potential energy building. And when it releases, it won’t be gradual. We’re talking explosive upside. Meanwhile, Bitcoin may have already been in a shallow bear market for months, creating one of the biggest stealth opportunities in years.Then we turn up the heat on tech: AI, quantum computing, Alphabet, Nvidia, Microsoft—this is the infrastructure race that will define the next decade. Google is quietly becoming an AI beast, and the quantum plays lining up right now could be the 300% monsters of the future.This episode is for the people who don’t run with the crowd, who don’t panic when the mall starts sprinting, who want clarity, structure, strategy—and the confidence to dominate the future instead of reacting to it.If you're ready to position instead of panic, build instead of fear, and move with conviction, this is your episode.

Tonight we take a deep dive into the turbulent markets heading into 2026—and why there’s still massive opportunity. Warren Buffett just made a quiet but major shift into AI and quantum computing through Google and Amazon, signaling that this tech wave is far from a bubble.We address the nonstop questions about XRP and explain why there’s simply nothing new to discuss until it breaks away from the broader crypto trend. Crypto is falling, Bitcoin is down 30% from its highs, and XRP is behaving exactly as expected in this environment.We also explore the rise of Google’s TPUs, the real reason they can’t replace NVIDIA (yet), and how cloud-based AI access is reshaping market share. Plus, an introduction to the Power Triage framework—balancing compute, data, and energy—to identify investment opportunities over the next 20 years.Finally, we look at December’s historical weakness for Bitcoin, why MicroStrategy’s 70% collapse was predictable, how human psychology drives market selloffs, and where silver and other low-risk assets actually fit into a long-term portfolio.A packed, no-nonsense episode on AI, crypto, investing psychology, and the technology shifts defining the coming decades.

Everyone sees a crash. Almost nobody sees the setup.This week on Strategy Sunday, Amanda Pantoja reveals why the fear you’re seeing right now mirrors the early dot-com era—not the crash, but the moment right before the biggest wealth transfers in history.AI is draining the global power grid. Nuclear is becoming inevitable. Bitcoin is acting like a mid-cycle reset. Analysts expect the Nasdaq to gear up for a 2026 bull run. And while the masses panic, the next generation of winners are positioning themselves quietly.If you want clarity when everyone else is losing their minds—if you want to understand the real catalysts, real risks, and real plays shaping 2025, 2026, and beyond—this is your unfair advantage.No noise. No narratives. Just the truth the headlines won’t tell you.

Welcome to Strategy Sunday, where we focus on positioning—not reacting. This week we break down what’s really happening beneath the headlines: Bitcoin slipping under its 200-day moving average, long-term holders unloading billions, the housing market weakening so much that 50-year mortgages are being floated, and lending standards dropping in ways that echo past collapses. We unpack why most people lose money by chasing the moment, why credit scores still matter, how entitlement cycles form in every major empire, and what these shifts signal for 2025–2026. We also dive into XRP’s massive ETF launch, the strange price mismatch, and the truth behind AI and quantum stocks—whether this surge is a bubble or the beginning of a long-term breakthrough. If you want to think ahead instead of getting caught behind the crowd, this is your episode.

XRP is at a turning point with the SEC acknowledging the Bitwise and Grayscale ETF filings. Unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, XRP has been suppressed for years, making an ETF approval a bigger confidence signal.This episode covers: Why an XRP ETF could drive 3-4x gains The impact of the current bull cycle Institutional accumulation and market signals How the XRP Ledger upgrade changes the game Crypto.com’s XRP event contracts and market liquidity Why XRP’s centralization is its advantage, not a weaknessI also break down Ethereum’s short squeeze, Bitcoin’s next move, and whether NVIDIA is still a buy.

Hedge funds are making massive short bets against Ethereum. Is a major short squeeze coming? We break down what’s really happening and why Ethereum hasn’t taken off the way many expected.XRP has been holding strong despite market pullbacks. A new partnership is making waves, but is it enough to push it past key resistance levels?Plus, SoundHound has surged, but many are asking what’s next. We’ll discuss why it’s moving slower than expected and what that means for AI stocks.Big banks, retail investors, and hedge funds are battling for control of the market. Are they making the same mistakes they did with Nvidia and Palantir?Tune in for a deep dive into Ethereum, XRP, SoundHound, and the future of AI and crypto investing.

Join Armando as he discusses the evolution of his views on XRP, the impact of the SEC lawsuit, and the future of cryptocurrencies in general. He shares insights on why he believes XRP is one of the most undervalued coins and how global regulatory acceptance and market dynamics could lead to its massive growth. Whether you're a seasoned crypto enthusiast or new to digital currencies, this episode offers valuable perspectives and invites you to engage in the conversation. Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain deeper insights into the crypto market and the potential of XRP.