Cryptocurrency research institution Delphi Digital: Speculation is the theme of this decade, and one should hold clearinghouses
On October 20, 2026, Jason Pagoulatos, a macro and market author at the cryptocurrency research institution Delphi Digital, released a report titled "The House Always Wins: Why Speculation is the Theme of This Decade." Pagoulatos stated that speculation has two long-term engines: constructive and lottery-like. Technological changes open the former, while fiscal and political pressures open the latter; historically, many famous bubbles have been driven by one or the other. Today, both are operating at high speed simultaneously, and the same batch of technologies is feeding both. He thus considers speculation itself as an investable theme, advocating for holding places for liquidation bets rather than holding the bets themselves.
The data cited in the report includes that the U.S. federal deficit for fiscal year 2025 is $1.8 trillion, about 5.8% of GDP, with net interest around $1 trillion per year, exceeding defense spending. The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies states that the national median price for single-family homes in 2024 is 5.0 times the median household income; the National Association of Realtors reports that first-time homebuyers account for 21% of transactions, with a median age of 40. According to the American Gaming Association, legal sports betting amounts have risen from $6.6 billion in 2018 to $166.9 billion in 2025. Capital expenditures for Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta are approximately $416 billion for 2025, with guidance for 2026 totaling about $720 billion to $745 billion, plus Oracle.
In terms of venues, Robinhood's event contract revenue for Q2 2026 is $156 million, higher than stock revenue of $129 million and crypto revenue of $100 million during the same period. Hyperliquid's expenses for 2025 are about $972 million, with transactions around $3 trillion. Kalshi reportedly raised funds at a valuation of about $40 billion, and Polymarket is set to relaunch in the U.S. by the end of 2025. The author also mentions that the most likely mistake is to hold inventory of the crowd and call it a casino. The report states that it is for educational and general informational purposes only and is not investment advice; the author may hold Bitcoin, HYPE, HOOD, and LIT, and affiliated party Delphi Ventures may invest in the assets or agreements discussed in the report.