Name: Squawk Pod: Protein goals, Cathie Wood, & a geopolitical Nobel Prize - 01/16/26 | Audio Only
Uploaded: 2026-01-16T18:31:46+00:00
Duration: 2158 s

Speakers

Cathie Wood — Founder/CEO/CIO, ARK Invest

Peter Rahal — CEO, David Protein

Robert Frank — Wealth Editor, CNBC

Becky Quick — Co-Anchor, Squawk Box

Summary

Squawk Pod covers a Taiwan-US chip trade deal, a proposed California billionaire wealth tax, Cathie Wood's 2026 tech and crypto outlook, and the rise of high-protein foods amid GLP-1 use. Wood discusses deflationary innovation platforms, Tesla's robotaxi opportunity, SpaceX's valuation, Bitcoin's digital-gold thesis, and digital asset treasury companies. Peter Rahal explains how GLP-1s are boosting protein demand and David Protein's technology. The episode also previews Davos and notes a geopolitical moment with Venezuela's opposition leader.

US and Taiwan reach a chip trade deal with $250 billion investment and tariff terms.
Robert Frank explains California's proposed 5% billionaire wealth tax and tech-founder pushback.
Cathie Wood expects deflationary innovation platforms and low inflation surprises.
Wood remains bullish on Tesla's robotaxi pivot and SpaceX's valuation potential.
Wood holds a constructive Bitcoin view and sees DATs focusing institutions on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.
Peter Rahal says GLP-1s drive protein demand and David Protein is positioned to benefit.
The episode previews Davos coverage and notes Venezuela's Nobel Peace Prize moment.

Ideas

Cathie Wood Founder/CEO/CIO, ARK Invest 15:35

Innovation platforms are deflationary and investable.

Ark's focus is exclusively on technologically enabled innovation across five major platforms: robotics, energy storage, artificial intelligence (especially blockchain technology), and multiomic sequencing/healthcare. She sees these platforms as strongly deflationary, which supports her view that inflation surprises will be to the downside and creates long-term investment opportunities.

Cathie Wood Founder/CEO/CIO, ARK Invest 16:21

Tesla robotaxi shift drives margin expansion.

Tesla's EV sales have been challenged, but the market is shifting focus to the robotaxi opportunity. The business is moving from roughly 15% auto hardware gross margins to a SaaS-like recurring-revenue model with 70-80% margins. As analysts begin modeling robotaxis, they are upgrading the stock and recognizing Tesla is not just an auto company. Tesla's robotaxi footprint is expanding faster than expected, Waymo competition is healthy, federal legislation could accelerate proliferation, and Optimus robotics is a longer-term optionality despite being much harder than robotaxi.

Cathie Wood Founder/CEO/CIO, ARK Invest 19:16

SpaceX could become first trillion-dollar company.

SpaceX's next funding round is about $800 billion, nearly doubling its prior valuation, and Ark would not be surprised to see it become the first trillion-dollar company. A new opportunity in space-based data centers could avoid NIMBY obstacles faced by terrestrial data centers; Ark is doing modeling work on the opportunity.

Cathie Wood Founder/CEO/CIO, ARK Invest 21:35

Bitcoin remains digital gold with upside.

Stablecoins are usurping one of Bitcoin's roles in emerging markets, but that does not make her negative on Bitcoin. If Bitcoin acts as digital gold and captures a significant share of gold's role in the coming intergenerational wealth transfer, Ark's price targets would be higher; she holds a bull case of $1.5 million and a base case of $750,000. The October 10 flash crash caused about a $28 billion leveraged washout that appears to have cleared out of the system, and Bitcoin's 35% drawdown was modest versus prior 75-80% corrections.

Cathie Wood Founder/CEO/CIO, ARK Invest 23:29

DATs focus institutions on big three.

Digital asset treasury companies (DATs) are clarifying the institutional focus on the big three crypto assets—Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana—rather than causing Bitcoin to be crowded out. Institutional investors are focusing on Bitcoin through Strategy, Ether, and Solana; Ark owns Bitmine and Soulmate, and another DAT may be coming in Hyperliquid. She thinks this is the opposite of past bull-market proliferation, focusing the institutional mind on the major assets.

Peter Rahal CEO, David Protein 27:31

Protein demand rises on GLP-1 use.

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have increased focus on protein intake because they can cause muscle loss and 'forced anorexia,' making it hard for users to get enough protein. Peter says it is difficult for Americans to get one gram of protein per pound of body weight, so demand is growing for convenient, delicious high-protein products. David Protein's bars deliver 28 grams of protein at 150 calories, and its new air-rated whey marshmallow bar delivers 20 grams at 150 calories, targeting people who dislike protein bars. The company is riding the GLP-1 tailwind, and its EPG fat technology has further applications in sports nutrition, chocolate/cocoa butter, and frying.

Squawk Pod: Protein goals, Cathie Wood, & a geopolitical Nobel Prize - 01/16/26 | Audio Only

Summary

Ideas

Up Next