Today we welcome back a good friend of the show and former London Real guest, Dan Tapiero. Dan is a global macro investor, entrepreneur and thought leader who brings 30 years of experience in macro and commodity investing, trading, research and economics to the table.
Having worked as a portfolio manager and analyst with some of the world’s most respected investors including Stan Druckenmiller, Michael Steinhardt, Steven Cohen, Julian Robertson and Lord Rothschild, Dan Tapiero is very much a ‘been there and done it’ type of guy.
So it is with great pleasure that I get to sit down and harness the perspective of such a sharp financial brain when it comes to the world of blockchain, tech innovation and investing strategies for a modern and constantly changing world.
Back in the 90s, Dan was a macro-focused portfolio manager and analyst at Tiger Management, before moving to Duquesne Capital Management, Steinhardt Management Company, and finally SAC Capital Advisors before founding and managing DTAP Capital Advisors, a global macro investment fund.
He is also the co-founder of Gold Bullion International, a physical precious metals platform that also expanded into crypto way back in 2014, and a co-founder of the Agricultural Company of America, which was one of the largest farmland real estate investment trusts in the US at the time of its sale in 2013.
This wealth of knowledge and experience, particularly in the field of macroeconomics, enables Dan to bring a unique and wholly credible insight to the huge explosion we’ve seen in cryptocurrency in recent years.
Dan has become so fascinated and convinced by what he has seen in terms of innovation and opportunity that he founded private equity firm, 10T Holdings, focusing on digital assets back in 2019.
Bitcoin represents ground zero for Dan and like many before him and the millions that will inevitably follow, understanding this revolutionary asset was a lightning bulb moment and represents a shift in the understanding of what direction the world is headed.
The last year has seen a lull in the market, one that is a natural part of the process, but Dan believes we could see Bitcoin hit $100,000 in the next twelve or so months as blockchain heads towards his predicted $40 trillion market cap.
“I realised this is akin to the invention of the combustion engine or like the discovery of electricity.”
Dan rightly points out, if any more evidence was really necessary, that we are rapidly moving towards an environment where everything we hold of value will appear on the blockchain. The innovation in the digital asset ecosystem is unparalleled and continues to grow at an exponential rate.
Dan is also the founder & CEO of 1RoundTable Partners with the goal of acting as a bridge from the old world to the new by offering investors exposure to the digital asset ecosystem without the crazy volatility.
Ultimately the space is growing and will continue to do so, because the value that exists is not going anywhere. For Dan it’s best to be patient, don’t over analyse and let things follow their natural course. Something that isn’t being helped by US regulators.
Dan believes that it’s the younger generation who are suffering in our current economic climate, but that they also see the value of the blockchain and digital assets, from NFTs and cryptos to the power of artificial intelligence.
For Dan, the US is falling by the wayside, as those young and vibrant leaders from the Middle East, parts of Europe and beyond see the long-term potential and are forming long-term plans.
“I think what the US really needs is younger leadership. It doesn’t really matter which side they’re on. A 40-year-old gets the future.”
That idea of investing in the future is central to our philosophy here at London Real. Alongside a plethora of projects that include teaching hundreds of students at a time in my Academy and interviewing some of the biggest names on the planet from the world of politics, sport, health & wellness, philosophy and science – we also find time to invest in cutting-edge, digital asset ecosystem protocols through our investment arm, London Real Ventures.
And nobody is better positioned to paint a picture of the opportunity the digital asset ecosystem offers than Dan.
“The space has really grown. It’s not just about the price of Bitcoin or Ethereum. We have five or six companies that actually made more money last year than in the previous year. So, even during the time of a massive drop in the price of Bitcoin and Ethereum, we’ve had companies do better.”
