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Macro Crypto Energy Markets

Jordi Visser & Pompliano: The Semiconductor Trade Is Done — Here's What's Next

Lisa Tamati | 17/05/2026
Split image showing AI data centers and wind turbines on the left transitioning to energy infrastructure and crypto charts on the right, representing a macro regime shift

Lisa Tamati reporting on the conversation between Jordi Visser and Anthony Pompliano. For informational purposes only — not financial advice. All positioning discussed is hypothetical and educational. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.

The Semiconductor 8-Bagger Is Over

Jordi Visser just exited his position in Micron.

He's held it for years. It's been an 8x winner. He sold the last third this week.

This is the most important signal in the entire conversation.

"Micron has outperformed every Mag 7 dramatically since 2018. I sold out of two-thirds of my Micron. Well, I got rid of the last third this week."

This isn't a casual trade. This is a regime signal. The semiconductor trade that powered the AI boom is topping. The momentum names are extended. The second derivative of memory prices is rolling over.

Classic late-cycle behavior where the winners become too extended and rotation becomes inevitable.


The Regime Shift: Negative Real Yields Are Back

Here's the critical macro condition that changes everything.

Real yields are turning negative again.

"We have three-month bills sitting at 3.69% and year-over-year inflation currently is 3.8%. That number is going higher. We now have negative real yields and I think they're only going to get worse."

Translation: inflation is outpacing bond returns. Your savings are losing purchasing power in bonds. This creates pressure to move capital into hard assets.

Why can't the Fed raise rates to fix this? The US government is spending $1.2 trillion annually on interest expense alone. Meaningful rate increases would force a fiscal crisis. The government is trapped. Rates stay low. Inflation remains. Real yields stay negative.

This is the historical environment that drives capital into crypto, commodities, and energy.


Iran Strait: Not Temporary, Structural

The Iran situation isn't a war premium that reverses when tensions ease. It's a structural chokepoint that permanently elevates energy prices.

"If this extends and keeps going, you have to have demand destruction. Any country in the world is worried about their inventory and their strategic petroleum reserve."

Here's what's happening: countries are hoarding energy. Strategic petroleum reserves are being built. Supply routes are being diversified. The Strait of Hormuz remains a permanent vulnerability.

This isn't temporary disruption. This is permanent elevation of energy floor prices.

And here's the stunning part: energy stocks haven't moved despite these fundamentals.

"You're going to see a rotation into energy stocks now over the course of the next month."

When fundamentals are obvious and stocks haven't participated, that's the setup for explosive rotation.


Dogecoin: The Retail Sentiment Canary

Visser uses Dogecoin as a pure retail sentiment indicator.

"Dogecoin to me has no institutional sponsorship. It has zero associated with what I'm doing."

It's genius. Dogecoin has no utility, no institutional bid, no narrative support. It's pure retail sentiment.

When Dogecoin breaks out, it signals retail capital is rotating into crypto. When it's quiet, retail is sitting on the sidelines.

Right now, Dogecoin is approaching technical breakout levels. Bitcoin is near 82K (200-day MA). Ethereum approaching 2400–2450.

If Dogecoin breaks out, expect retail to follow crypto higher across the board.


The Late-Cycle Divergence: Textbook Setup

50% of all stocks are still below their 200-day moving averages despite new market highs.

This is the classic late-cycle divergence: the index is making new highs, but the internals are rolling over.

What this means:

  • Concentration risk: A few mega-cap names (Mag 7) are carrying the market higher
  • Breadth deterioration: Most stocks can't keep up
  • Rotation pressure: Capital moving from broad market into concentrated names
  • Topping pattern: Classic late-cycle setup before sector rotation

Combined with the semiconductor trade exhaustion and negative real yields, this is textbook pre-rotation environment.


The Overordering Into Bottlenecks: The AI Bubble Top Signal

Visser identifies a critical dynamic: "Bubbles, parabolas, speed crashes."

When supply is constrained and demand is unlimited, companies overorder. Microchip foundries get orders for 2x what they can actually produce. Companies build inventories in anticipation of continued shortages.

But when the shortage phase ends, you hit a wall.

Overorders get cancelled. Inventory gets worked down. Memory prices correct sharply. Companies that built massive capex to meet "unlimited demand" face utilization cliffs.

This is what's happening in semiconductors. The overordering phase is ending. The inventory correction is beginning. A "mini recession due to bottlenecks and shortages" is coming as the system adjusts.


The Positioning: Post-AI Rotation

Visser and Pompliano are clear about the setup:

Semiconductor trade: Exhausted. Exit.

Energy: Rotation setup. Iran structural, stocks haven't moved, fundamentals obvious.

Crypto: Retail sentiment breakout coming. Dogecoin leading indicator. Negative real yields fuel demand.

Private market tokenization: Clarity Act (73% probability) disrupts VC/PE. Tokenization brings transparency and liquidity. Institutional adoption accelerating.

This is the post-AI commodity exhaustion rotation. The AI semiconductor trade powered 2024–2025. Now you rotate into what comes next: energy, crypto, and tokenized private markets.


What This Means

The semiconductor trade that drove the AI boom is topping. Visser's Micron exit is the canary in the coal mine.

Simultaneously, negative real yields are returning, creating the macro environment for hard asset rotation.

Energy offers the most obvious setup: structural Iran disruption, rising fundamentals, stocks that haven't participated.

Crypto offers the sentiment setup: Dogecoin breakout as retail canary, negative real yields driving demand, technical levels approaching breakout.

Tokenization offers the structural setup: private market transparency and liquidity disrupting traditional VC/PE.

The regime is shifting from "AI semiconductor abundance" to "energy scarcity + financial system debasement."

Position accordingly.


This is analysis of investor theses presented in a conversation — not financial advice. All positioning discussed is hypothetical and educational. Geopolitical situations can change; energy prices can reverse. Crypto is highly volatile; retail breakouts can fail. Verify claims from original sources. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Lisa Tamati reports on macro, energy, and markets at PTLsignal.com

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