Fundstrat's Tom Lee warns of "2026 pain" for Bitcoin and markets despite tariff pause
Tom Lee, founder and head of research at Fundstrat, reiterated on a recent podcast that markets could face a "painful" decline in 2026, pointing to tariff tensions, Federal Reserve independence and an incoming Fed chair as key factors. Bitcoin has already swung from $84k to $126k in 2025 before a late-year wipeout, and now trades near $90k after dropping 10% from a $98k high amid renewed tariff fears. Swissblock's Bitcoin Risk Index currently signals consolidation, with support and resistance levels around $89.2k, $94.8k, $99k and $84.5k guiding near-term scenarios as U.S. spot ETF flows stagnate.