Bitwise CIO Says Bitcoin Wins Whether the AI Boom Surges or Breaks

By Isaac • October 15, 2026 7:14 pm •

Bitcoin does not need one perfect economic forecast to work as an investment, according to Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan. His latest argument is that the most plausible outcomes for the artificial-intelligence boom all create a different reason for scarce assets to matter.

In a memo summarized by Decrypt, Hougan divides the next chapter of the AI trade into three broad paths: a productivity boom, an investment bust followed by a policy response, or a slower middle course. In his superabundance case, AI makes intelligence and digital production dramatically cheaper, which could increase the relative value of assets that remain scarce.

Bitcoin fits that argument because its issuance schedule does not expand when demand rises.