Leaders at the Bell with Daniel Faria, CEO at ZeroStack.AI, March 16, 2026

Daniel Faria, CEO of ZeroStack.AI, joined Leaders at the Bell from the NYSE floor on his birthday to discuss cryptocurrency markets amid escalating Middle East tensions. Faria had previously predicted Bitcoin would reach $75,000 before falling to $50,000, and despite recent military strikes between the United States, Israel, and Iran, Bitcoin has held steady between $73,500 and $74,500. He explained that institutional investors increasingly view Bitcoin as a liquid safe-haven asset rather than purely speculative, with MicroStrategy's Strategy purchasing an additional 22,000 Bitcoin during the week of March 9-15 through their STRETCH product. This pattern demonstrates continued institutional commitment despite geopolitical uncertainty.

Regarding downside scenarios, Faria emphasized proper portfolio diversification across Bitcoin, gold, and other assets as the primary defense against potential escalation. He expressed confidence in U.S. strategic objectives focused on achieving peace and stability rather than protracted conflict. On Dubai real estate, which has declined approximately 30 percent following airport strikes, Faria maintains a contrarian buying stance, noting that while institutional indices show weakness, individual property prices haven't fallen as dramatically. He credits Dubai's leadership with century-long vision and resilience, comparing current conditions to the 2008 crisis when skeptics similarly predicted failure. Looking forward, Faria projects Bitcoin could reach $125,000 assuming institutional support continues, dismissing fears of broader conflict while acknowledging that ground troop deployment could temporarily shift market sentiment.