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Veteran Crash Predictor Puts Zero Target on $BTC

An economist credited with forecasting the 2008 financial crisis is now calling for Bitcoin to lose all of its value, according to a report from TheStreet. The warning adds a high-profile bearish voice to an asset class…

NM
NewsMV Markets Desk
3 min read
31 May 2026Markets desk
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Key takeaways

  • An economist credited with forecasting the 2008 financial crisis is predicting that Bitcoin will lose all of its value, falling to zero, according to a report from TheStreet.
  • The forecast calls for a total wipeout of $BTC rather than a pullback or correction.
  • The source does not detail the specific mechanism the economist cites, so the reasoning behind the prediction is not confirmed.
  • Bitcoin has survived multiple predictions of its death across two full boom-bust cycles and has lost the majority of its value more than once before recovering.
  • The article notes that survivorship is not the same as permanence and that the prediction may or may not prove correct.

An economist credited with forecasting the 2008 financial crisis is now calling for Bitcoin to lose all of its value, according to a report from TheStreet. The warning adds a high-profile bearish voice to an asset class that has attracted persistent skepticism from mainstream economics.

The Bear Case From a Credentialed Pessimist

A track record that includes calling the 2008 collapse carries weight — and whoever is swinging that credential at $BTC is swinging hard. The call is not for a pullback or a correction but for total wipeout: zero. That is the kind of forecast that reads as fringe until it does not.

The source does not detail the specific mechanism the economist cites for that outcome, so no claim about the reasoning should be taken as confirmed. What is confirmed is the direction and the magnitude of the prediction.

Why the 'Who Is Selling to Whom' Question Matters Here

Every zero-call on Bitcoin eventually arrives at the same structural question: what is the asset actually backed by, and who holds the bag at the end of the chain? Critics from traditional economics tend to argue that Bitcoin's value is entirely reflexive — it is worth what the next buyer will pay, full stop. When sentiment reverses and buyers stop appearing, that math gets brutal fast.

That argument is not new. What changes is who is making it and when. A name associated with getting 2008 right commands more media attention than a generic skeptic, which means this warning will reach audiences that dismissed earlier zero-calls.

What the Record Actually Shows

Bitcoin has survived multiple predictions of its death across two full boom-bust cycles. It has also lost the majority of its value on more than one occasion before recovering. Neither outcome proves the next cycle ends the same way. Survivorship is not the same as permanence.

The economist's forecast may prove correct, or $BTC may absorb this as it has absorbed similar calls before. The honest answer, given what the source provides, is that a credentialed bear has entered the conversation. Price discovery will do the rest.

Related reading

Tickers$BTC
Categorycrypto

Filed via news.google.com

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Frequently asked

Who is making the prediction that Bitcoin will go to zero?

An economist credited with forecasting the 2008 financial crisis is calling for Bitcoin to lose all of its value, according to a report from TheStreet.

What exactly is the prediction for Bitcoin's price?

The forecast is for a total wipeout to zero, not merely a pullback or correction.

Did the economist explain why Bitcoin would go to zero?

No, the source does not detail the specific mechanism cited, so the reasoning should not be taken as confirmed; only the direction and magnitude of the prediction are confirmed.

Has Bitcoin faced predictions of its demise before?

Yes, Bitcoin has survived multiple predictions of its death across two full boom-bust cycles and has lost the majority of its value more than once before recovering.

Does the article say whether this prediction will come true?

No, the article states the forecast may prove correct or $BTC may absorb it as it has similar calls before, noting that price discovery will determine the outcome.