The Master Investor Podcast with Wilfred Frost

Tom Lee: Bear Market Coming in 2026 – Use It As Buying Opportunity

24 snips

Jan 20, 2026

Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat Global Advisors and an expert on market trends, shares his insights on the upcoming market landscape. He discusses his prediction of a short-term pullback in 2026 that could serve as a prime buying opportunity. Lee emphasizes the importance of watching transitions like a new Fed and evolving AI dynamics. He explains why gold is under-owned and why Bitcoin remains 'digital gold' with a bold price target. Additionally, he highlights sector opportunities beyond the Magnificent 7, favoring cyclicals and energy for the future.

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INSIGHT

AI Could Re‑Rate Banks

Banks can re‑rate if AI reduces their biggest cost: compensation.
Earnings variability could fall and margins rise, allowing bank multiples to expand.

ADVICE

Play AI Through Diversified Exposure

Expect most AI-related public stocks to fail, but buy a diversified basket to capture winners.
Focus on the select winners because they will more than offset losses from the many failures.

INSIGHT

Tether And Geopolitics Pushed Gold Higher

Gold rallied on geopolitical uncertainty and easing from central banks.
Tether has possibly been a large private buyer of gold since July, boosting demand.

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Tom Lee returns to The Master Investor Podcast to lay out his bullish – but bumpy – roadmap for markets in 2026. He is the co-founder and head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, chair of Ethereum treasury company Bitmine Immersion and CIO of Fundstrat Capital which runs the rapidly growing Granny Shots ETF suite (now $4.7bn AUM).

In this episode Tom explains why he still thinks we are early in a 10‑year bull market that began in 2022, even as he forecasts a sharp pullback this year that will feel like a bear market, before equities finish 2026 strongly. He breaks down the three big transitions investors must navigate this year – a new Fed, a more interventionist White House and an AI narrative that is still being repriced – and sets out why he still likes the Magnificent 7 but thinks cyclicals, energy, basic materials, financials and small caps could be the more interesting trade from here.

The conversation ranges across gold, crypto and demographics: Tom explains why he believes gold is under‑owned, why Tether may now be one of the metal’s biggest private buyers, and why millennials are rediscovering gold as a store of value even as younger generations adopt crypto. He outlines his thesis that Bitcoin is still “digital gold”, why Ethereum remains his favourite crypto currency, discusses the October deleveraging event that knocked crypto off its gold‑tracking path, and sets out bold upside targets for both Bitcoin and Ethereum as banks and asset managers increasingly adopt blockchain technology.

Tom explains Bitmine’s headline‑grabbing $200m investment into MrBeast’s Beast Industries, why he sees MrBeast as the defining media asset of this generation, and how financial education and Ethereum could sit at the heart of future products reaching a billion‑strong global audience.

This was Tom’s second appearance on The Master Investor Podcast – please check out his first in August 2025 - episode 12.

You can watch the full video on The Master Investor Podcast YouTube channel

And follow @WilfredFrost on X and Linked In

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The Master Investor Podcast is produced by Paradine Productions, Master Investor Ltd in association with Bird Lime Media.

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