Mark Lipacis and Wall Street's Bold Stock Picks: Nvidia and Circle Set for Massive Rallies

Analyst Predictions Paint Bullish Picture for 2026

Mark Lipacis at Evercore is among several prominent Wall Street strategists making aggressive calls on specific equities heading into 2026. Two names have caught particular attention: semiconductor giant Nvidia and fintech innovator Circle Internet Group. The consensus suggests exceptional upside potential, though the rationale differs significantly between the two companies.

According to research from leading financial institutions, Nvidia’s trajectory looks particularly compelling. Evercore’s Mark Lipacis targets the chip manufacturer at $352 per share—a figure that represents nearly double its current valuation. Meanwhile, Jeff Cantwell at Seaport Research has set Circle’s price objective at $280, implying gains that could exceed 200% from present levels.

Why Nvidia Dominates the AI Infrastructure Game

Nvidia’s competitive moat extends far beyond raw processing power. While its data center GPUs consistently outperform rival products in training and inference benchmarks, the real advantage lies elsewhere: CUDA, a comprehensive software ecosystem that competitors struggle to replicate.

The threat to Nvidia’s dominance often gets overstated. Yes, major cloud providers have developed custom accelerators. Yet adoption remains constrained by a fundamental problem—these proprietary chips lack the software infrastructure that developers expect. When enterprises calculate total cost of ownership, Nvidia systems frequently emerge as the more economical choice despite premium hardware costs.

Industry observers project Nvidia will maintain over 80% market share in AI accelerators for years to come. Consider the competitive landscape: between 2018 and recent years, numerous startups and established rivals including Intel and AMD attempted challenges. Most fell short. Competing against a company spending over $10 billion annually on research and development requires resources few possess.

Recent policy developments could accelerate growth further. The Trump administration’s decision to approve Nvidia H200 GPU sales into China removes a significant headwind that previously constrained the company’s addressable market. China represents the world’s second-largest AI opportunity, making this regulatory shift potentially transformative.

Grand View Research forecasts AI accelerator spending will expand 29% annually through 2030. That runway supports sustained stock appreciation. While volatility remains inevitable—20%+ drawdowns wouldn’t surprise anyone—the long-term trend appears favorable. Wall Street expects Nvidia’s earnings to compound at 37% annually over three years, making current valuations appear justified.

Circle’s Stablecoin Positioning: Scale Meets Compliance

Circle operates in the stablecoin space, issuing USDC—the second-largest digital dollar by capitalization but the largest compliant ecosystem in regulated markets. This distinction matters tremendously to institutional buyers. JPMorgan’s analysts emphasize that transparent reserve management and regular audits create trust among corporate treasurers and regulated financial entities.

Revenue flows primarily from interest earned on reserve assets—the dollars backing USDC in circulation. Circle has recently expanded into payments through its Circle Payments Network, targeting use cases like B2B settlements, payroll processing, and commerce transactions.

The stablecoin sector currently represents a $315 billion market. Multiple forecasts suggest extraordinary expansion ahead. Conservative estimates target $2 trillion by 2030 (representing 45% annual growth). More bullish projections from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Bernstein analysts envision $3-4 trillion by 2035.

Circle stands positioned as a primary beneficiary given its institutional preference and regulatory posture. Morgan Stanley and other major research shops expect the company’s revenue to grow 32% annually through 2027. At current valuation multiples, investors might find attractively priced entry points, even if Cantwell’s 215% target represents aspirational rather than probable near-term performance.

Evaluating Risk-Adjusted Returns

Both opportunities carry merit, though expectations should remain tempered. Mark Lipacis’s bullish Nvidia thesis reflects genuine supply-demand dynamics and durable competitive advantages. The AI buildout phase supports elevated earnings growth. Simultaneously, Circle’s expansion into stablecoin payments addresses a tangible market need, particularly as institutions seek dollar-equivalent digital assets.

Whether stocks achieve the precise upside percentages remains uncertain. Market timing proves notoriously difficult. What seems clearer: both companies operate in structurally growing sectors with defensible market positions—characteristics that typically support outperformance over extended periods.