Last updated Nov 29, 2025
Prediction
Chamath
economy
The US federal funds rate will reach or exceed 5.0% during this tightening cycle associated with the 2021–2023 inflation surge.
This inflation, as I've said for a long time, is going to be sticky and persistent. I think you're going to see fed funds at or breaching 5%.View on YouTube
Explanation

Multiple official and secondary sources show that during the post‑COVID inflation tightening cycle the Federal Reserve raised the target federal funds rate well above 5%. The FOMC began hiking from 0.00–0.25% in March 2022 and, through a sequence of increases, brought the target range to 4.75–5.00% on March 22, 2023, 5.00–5.25% on May 3, 2023, and then 5.25–5.50% on July 26, 2023, where it peaked. (en.wikipedia.org)

These levels are consistent with data on the effective federal funds rate, which reached about 5.33% in August 2023. (statista.com)

Because Chamath predicted on Sept 23, 2022 that the Fed funds rate in this inflationary tightening cycle would be "at or breaching 5%," and the rate in fact rose to and above 5% in 2023, his prediction was right.