The tech giant's $125-145 billion capex guidance for 2026 rattled Wall Street, even as crypto ambitions quietly take shape in the background Meta Platforms closed June 2026 at $563.29, shedding roughly 11% of its value over the course of the month after trading above $620 in early June. The culprit: a capex guidance range so large it made even the most AI-bullish investors and do some napkin math.
The company raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to $125-145 billion, primarily earmarked for AI infrastructure. For context, that range alone, the $20 billion gap between the low and high end, is larger than the entire annual revenue of most S&P 500 companies.
Strong revenue, stronger spending #
Meta’s Q1 2026 revenue grew 33% year-over-year. But revenue growth stops being exciting when the spending story next to it looks like a moonshot budget.
Adding to the unease, reports of executive departures within Meta’s AI division surfaced during the month.
Reality Labs, Meta’s metaverse-focused division, continues to operate deep in the red. Operating losses for the unit are expected to remain elevated throughout 2026, and the company is reportedly considering budget cuts to the metaverse segment.
The crypto play investors should be watching #
Meta plans to integrate third-party stablecoin payments across its platforms in the second half of 2026.
Meta tried this before with Libra, later renamed Diem, and the project collapsed under regulatory opposition in 2022. The difference this time is that Meta appears to be working with existing stablecoins rather than trying to create its own.
The company is also developing an internal prediction markets app called Arena, drawing clear inspiration from platforms like Polymarket.
In May 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter questioning Meta’s stablecoin plans, raising concerns about data privacy and financial oversight that echo the exact criticisms that killed Libra.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our