Saxo Bank’s “Outrageous Predictions” for 2026 Are Out

• Saxo Bank’s 2026 predictions highlight bold, low-probability, high-impact global scenarios.
• Topics include quantum risk, AI governance, celebrity culture, and space commerce.
• Predictions imagine Bitcoin crashing, a golden yuan, and AI CEOs.
• SpaceX IPO, obesity drug boom, and political reform also feature.
• The outregeous predictions are aimed at challenging assumptions, not forecasting events.

Saxo Bank has unveiled its Outrageous Predictions for 2026, continuing its tradition of presenting bold, low-probability scenarios with potentially massive market impact. These forecasts are not Saxo’s official outlook but are meant to challenge conventional thinking and explore how sudden disruptions could reshape the global landscape. This year’s themes span quantum computing, celebrity-driven macro trends, political reform, revolutionary AI shifts, healthcare transformation, and the future of money and space commerce.

John J Hardy, Saxo’s global head of macro strategy, explained that the 2026 edition reflects a world where even stability might seem like the most unlikely outcome. He emphasized that the intent is not to predict the future accurately, but to test what happens when deeply held assumptions are upended.

With the release, Saxo Bank reminded readers that the value of the exercise lies not in accuracy but in imagination. Outrageous thinking, it argues, remains a useful tool for understanding a world where yesterday’s impossibility can become tomorrow’s baseline.

Despite widespread concerns about manipulation, partisanship, and deepfake disruptions, the 2026 U.S. midterm elections proceed without major incident. Democrats narrowly reclaim the House while Republicans retain a slim Senate majority, setting the stage for moderate senators to become key power brokers.

Voter outrage at aggressive gerrymandering and polarizing political tactics fuels a grassroots campaign that successfully establishes an independent redistricting commission for future elections. Meanwhile, the public begins to reject outrage-driven content from social media and AI-generated misinformation, gravitating instead toward balanced, trusted voices. The result is a surprising pivot away from peak populism, with renewed focus on civil discourse and institutional integrity, marking the beginning of a post-algorithm era in U.S. politics.

#4 – Obesity drugs for everyone – even for pets

In a bold geopolitical and monetary pivot, China unveils far larger gold reserves than previously reported and partially backs its offshore yuan (CNH) with gold. This new “golden yuan” allows holders to redeem CNH for physical gold at a fixed rate, implying a sharp revaluation of the currency. Initially available only offshore, the move shifts financial gravity toward Chinese vaults and away from Western central banks.

China positions this currency as a politically neutral, tangible alternative to the US dollar, reducing reliance on debt-backed fiat. Trust grows as third-party audits verify the gold backing, and China expands swap lines and gold-settled commodity contracts with Gulf states and ASEAN countries.

The result: a surge in demand for yuan-denominated assets, a sell-off in US Treasuries, a weakening dollar, and gold shooting past $6,000. While not replacing the greenback, the golden yuan creates a durable second anchor in the global monetary system.

#8 – Dumb AI triggers trillion-dollar clean-up