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Today’s Menu

• ChatGPT Images Just Got Seriously Fast

• Grayscale Calls Bitcoin ATH Within Six Months

Markets

TODAY IN AI

ChatGPT Images Just Got Seriously Fast

ChatGPT Images now features up to 4x faster image generation, stronger instruction following, and better detail preservation. The company's new image model, GPT Image 1.5, also offers more sophisticated editing capabilities, allowing users to add, subtract, combine, blend, or transpose elements.

OpenAI teased the release with an AI-generated yearbook photo of Sam Altman. Users can try it out by navigating to "Images" in ChatGPT.

When image generation becomes 4x faster while adding advanced editing capabilities, that's not iterative improvement. That's making AI image creation instant enough for real-time creative workflows.

TODAY IN CRYPTO

Grayscale Calls Bitcoin ATH Within Six Months

Grayscale just released its 2026 outlook with a bold call: Bitcoin will hit a new all-time high in the first half of next year.

That forecast is built on two pillars: rising institutional demand and clearer U.S. regulation. On the macro side, Grayscale points to mounting fiat debasement risks driven by rising public debt and inflation pressures.

"As long as the risk of fiat currency debasement keeps rising, portfolio demand for Bitcoin and Ether will likely continue rising as well," the report states.

On the regulatory side, the shift has been dramatic. Spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in 2024. The GENIUS Act passed in 2025. In 2026, Grayscale expects Congress to pass bipartisan market structure legislation that will likely cement blockchain-based finance in U.S. capital markets.

The report also called out the end of Bitcoin's four-year cycle, arguing traditional boom-bust patterns tied to halving events are breaking down as the market matures.

But Grayscale dismissed two narratives dominating recent headlines. Quantum computing is a red herring for 2026. The firm acknowledged quantum computers pose a long-term cryptographic threat where a sufficiently powerful system could break public-key cryptography and forge digital signatures.

But timelines matter. Grayscale cited estimates suggesting quantum systems capable of breaking Bitcoin's cryptography are unlikely before 2030 at the earliest.

"We believe that research and preparedness will continue on post-quantum cryptography, but this issue is unlikely to affect valuations in the next year," the report notes.

Digital asset treasuries are also unlikely to be a major swing factor despite media attention. Notable dismissal given recent hype around corporate Bitcoin adoption. The narrative is loud, but the market impact will be limited.

Grayscale sees a macro backdrop favoring alternative stores of value, regulatory momentum unlocking institutional capital, and structural shifts in how crypto integrates into traditional finance.

Add it up, and they're betting on a new ATH within six months.

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Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Damon James