Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is poised to end 2025 lower, reversing what was an optimistic start to the year. But as 2026 dawns on us, focus has shifted to new possibilities and narratives that will define its journey.
Will 2026 Be A Year Of Reckoning?
Michael Terpin, CEO of Transform Ventures and author of the book “Bitcoin Supercycle,” predicted Bitcoin’s capitulation to around $55,000 – $65,000 in 2026, driven by “plenty” of panic selling by short-term holders.
“The Bitcoin halving cycle is still quite relevant in 2026. Every four years, the Bitcoin bubble popped and it generally took about a year to fully remove the froth of the prior bull market,” Terpin said in a note shared with Benzinga.
Terpin expected Bitcoin to gain momentum starting in 2027 and rise to $250,000-$350,000 or more in the 2028-29 bull market.
Closely aligned with this projection was Kadan Stadelmann, blockchain developer and chief technology officer of Komodo Platform.
“Bitcoin could potentially bottom out at its 2017 high in 2026, which would see it settle around the $69,000-$74,000 range,” Stadelmann projected.
Stadelmann said factors such as a potential U.S. recession or a bursting tech or AI bubble could trigger further downsides for Bitcoin, while rate cuts by the Federal Reserve could add bullish impetus.
See Also: Bitcoin Faces Another 50% Reckoning As Gold Shines, Analyst Says
Will Dip-Buyers Be Rewarded?
Hedy Wang, CEO & co-founder of crypto infrastructure startup Block Street, said she’s “cautiously optimistic” heading into 2026.
“We’re wrapping up the year with the fear and greed index firmly rooted in extreme fear, which is when Bitcoin usually starts getting interesting,” Wang said, acknowledging that sentiment is “washed out.”
“Still, the supply story hasn’t changed, and you sometimes tend to get a little holiday bump when volumes are thin and retail drifts back in,” she added.
Regarding 2026, Wang said people who bought Bitcoin “when it felt uncomfortable” would be rewarded.
ETF Demand To Sustain Bitcoin In The Long Run?
Chris Kline, COO & Co-Founder at BitcoinIRA, said that Bitcoin’s long-term thesis remains “extraordinarily bullish,” despite “short-term volatility” for risk assets.
“Bitcoin is positioned for near-term consolidation through the holiday season before what we anticipate will be a wave of institutional professionalization in 2026, driven by continued ETF momentum,” Kline told Benzinga.
It’s worth mentioning that despite the market slump, spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded inflows worth over $21 billion in 2025, according to SoSo Value.
Contrary to earlier projections in this article, Lucien Bourdon, Bitcoin Analyst at hardware wallet company Trezor, stated that the 4-year cycle was “breaking down” and predicted the apex cryptocurrency to consolidate in the short term.
“The key variables are macro liquidity and whether institutional demand stays supportive,” Bourdon added.
Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC was exchanging hands at $89,879.41, up 2.51% in the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Photo by Frame Stock Footage via Shutterstock
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