BlackRock 2026 Outlook Report: Digital Assets as the Foundation for Payment and Settlement Infrastructure, Focus on AI-related US Stocks

On January 13, BlackRock released its 2026 Global Outlook Report, presenting three major investment themes: the scale of AI construction is enormous and may drive U.S. economic growth, but is accompanied by rising systemic leverage; traditional diversified allocation or concentrated bets require flexible investment strategies; preference is given to private credit and infrastructure financing, with an underweight on long-term government bonds. The report emphasizes the importance of digital assets, especially stablecoins, as the foundation for payment and settlement infrastructure, stating that stablecoins are evolving from crypto tools into bridges connecting traditional finance and digital liquidity, and are being applied in cross-border payments and settlements. The report is optimistic about the performance of AI-related U.S. stocks and maintains a pro-risk stance.