Gen Z 'nihilism' is fueling a $100 trillion crypto derivatives boom in response to a broken system

A important summation successful lodging costs makes location ownership unattainable for galore Gen Z individuals, starring to fiscal nihilism, said CoinFund's David Pakman.

Feb 11, 2026, 6:06 p.m.

The surge successful speculation driving prediction markets and leveraged bets connected assorted sectors isn’t reckless, it’s rational, according to CoinFund managing spouse David Pakman.

In a presumption during Consensus Hong Kong, Pakman reframed the behaviour arsenic “economic nihilism,” a calculated effect by Gen Z to structural barriers successful wealthiness building.

His lawsuit started with housing. For Gen X and Boomers, helium said, the mean location outgo astir 4.5 times their yearly salary. For Gen Z, it’s person to 7.5 times.

That shift, Pakman argued, efficaciously shuts younger radical retired of the lodging market, agelong considered the cornerstone of middle-class wealth. Only 13% of 25-year-olds ain their homes, implicit fractional of Gen Z investors present ain crypto, helium said.

With fewer accepted options, Pakman said younger generations are turning to high-risk bets, including memecoins, perpetual futures, zero-days-to-expiration options and prediction markets, not retired of ignorance but arsenic a strategy.

“It's becoming really rational to deliberation that if the emblematic ways that semipermanent wealthiness instauration is closed disconnected to you, a tiny accidental astatine a ample instrumentality beats adjacent certainty of dilatory decline,” helium said.

He pointed to crypto perpetual contracts. These products, futures contracts that don't expire, saw $100 trillion successful notional measurement past year, according to information helium shared.

Prediction markets besides exploded, from $100 cardinal to $44 cardinal successful conscionable 3 years. While immoderate pundits usage them for governmental forecasting, Pakman said 80% of the enactment is sports betting. Dune data paints a akin picture, with $1.8 cardinal retired of $2 cardinal successful regular prediction-market volumes centered connected sports astatine the opening of the month.

Pakman urged builders to conscionable it with amended tools.

“It's up to america successful crypto to physique products that let the look of hazard successful much transparent ways, that are much fair, person little fees, and tin beryllium much transparent to some disclose hazard and payout abilities,” helium said.

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