Claude Opus 4.5’s Breakout Moment & Investing in 2026 with Qiao Wang

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Jan 12, 2026

Qiao Wang, cryptocurrency investor and founder of Alliance, shares insights on how AI is reshaping investment strategies for 2026. He discusses the breakthrough capabilities of Claude Opus 4.5 in coding tasks and highlights AI's potential for driving productivity in startups. The conversation dives into 'vibe coding,' the erosion of software moats for startups, and the implications of AI on VC and founder dynamics. With a portfolio shift towards stocks and Bitcoin, Qiao stresses the importance of authenticity in social media amid a rapidly changing landscape.

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ADVICE

Defendable Moats Still Matter

Don't expect AI to erase moats of big incumbents; identify real switching costs and proprietary assets.
Prioritize businesses with enterprise integration, data ownership, or developer ecosystems.

ANECDOTE

Prompting Replaced Half His Application Reading

Qiao translated his founder heuristics into prompts to filter thousands of Alliance applications.
The agent filters obvious bad applicants and leaves nuanced decisions to humans.

INSIGHT

LLMs Combine Multiple Junior Roles

Research assistants like Gemini bundle many junior professional roles into one product.
Qiao believes current pricing underestimates their combined value.

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This week, Qiao Wang joins the show to discuss how AI is transforming what it means to be an investor in 2026. We deep dive into Claude Opus 4.5 and its breakout moment, why Qiao got into the Google trade, constructing a portfolio for 2026, where to allocate time in the age of AI and more. Enjoy!

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Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:33) Claude’s Opus 4.5 Breakout Moment

(08:40) How Does AI Impact Startups?

(13:10) Do Moats Still Exist?

(20:00) Getting Into The Google Trade

(23:38) Where To Allocate Time In 2026

(26:23) Ads (VanEck, Mantle)

(28:25) Using AI Models For Investing

(41:30) How Does AI Change Brand & Distribution?

(44:49) Qiao’s Portfolio In 2026

(55:14) Health & Longevity

Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.