After hitting an all-time high and then falling sharply, Bitcoin Last year, industry executives and investors told CNBC that cryptocurrencies could reach new heights in 2026, but there could be more volatility.
In CNBC’s annual roundup of Bitcoin predictions, several commentators predict a wide range of Bitcoin prices in 2026, falling as low as $75,000 and rising as high as $225,000.
According to CoinMetrics, Bitcoin hit an all-time high of more than $126,000 in October last year, but fell to a low of about $80,000 in the second half of the year. Bitcoin is down about 30% from its all-time high.
The cryptocurrency market last year was buoyed by what was seen as a more favorable U.S. regulatory environment under President Donald Trump, as well as increased interest from large institutional investors and traditional financial players such as banks.
Meanwhile, there has been a boom in so-called digital asset treasury (DAT) companies that accumulate large amounts of Bitcoin and other digital coins.
Bitcoin price over the past year.
At the same time, debate continues over technology stock valuations and whether the artificial intelligence boom will turn into a bubble.
The decline in virtual currencies at the end of the year occurred against this background. Forced liquidations occurred as investors revalued risk assets and crypto holders sold their digital currencies, further exacerbating the selloff. This creates a tough situation heading into 2026.
“We are in a complex investment environment, with stock valuations at their limit, a chaotic and evolving geopolitical environment, concerns about the near-term sustainability of AI capital investment adoption, the monetary policy landscape appearing to be changing, and the U.S. midterm elections looming,” Alex Thorne, head of research at Galaxy, told CNBC.
“Against this background, it is difficult to predict the outlook for Bitcoin in 2026.”
Here are some of the boldest predictions for Bitcoin price in 2026.
Carol Alexander: $75,000 – $150,000
In 2026, Bitcoin will remain in a “high volatility range” between $75,000 and $150,000, with a “center of gravity around $110,000,” according to Carol Alexander, a professor of finance at the University of Sussex.
It comes “as the market digests the transition from retail-driven cycles to institutionally distributed liquidity.” Historically, the price of Bitcoin has been driven by retail traders. However, over the past two years, the number of institutional investors involved in this space has increased. Many crypto experts expect this situation to continue this year.
Alexander has an excellent track record in Bitcoin prediction over the past few years. However, she previously said that Bitcoin could reach $200,000 in 2026, but that didn’t happen. However, she said that by the summer of 2025, Bitcoin could trade for “about $150,000 plus or minus $50,000.” In fact, in the summer of 2025, Bitcoin was trading above $100,000.
Coin share: $120,000-$170,000
James Butterfill, head of research at CoinShares, an asset management firm specializing in cryptocurrencies, expects the price of Bitcoin to be in the range of $120,000 to $170,000 in 2026, adding that “more constructive price action is likely to occur later this year.”
Butterfill said investors are keeping an eye on who will become the new chairman of the Federal Reserve after Jerome Powell’s term ends in May. Mr Butterfill said the new appointee was “likely to be dovish” but the market would wait for clarity “before re-pricing risk assets more definitively”.
Investors are also keeping an eye on whether U.S. legislation known as the Clarity Act will become law in 2026. The Clarity Act seeks to create a framework for regulating digital assets.
“Regulation is here to stay, and a resolution here would be a meaningful catalyst,” Butterfill said.
Butterfill cited risks such as inflation shocks and Fed policy mistakes as reasons why there may be demand for “alternative non-sovereign currency assets” like Bitcoin.
In December 2024, Butterfill predicted that Bitcoin could fall to around $80,000 in 2025, and he was right. He also said that Bitcoin could have gone up to $150,000 last year, but it failed to do so.
Standard Chartered: $150,000
Standard Chartered has forecast a Bitcoin price of $150,000 in 2026, down from its previous price estimate of $300,000 in December.
Jeff Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital asset research, said the price decline seen in 2025 is “within expectations.” However, price movements led Standard Chartered to modify its call.
“Specifically, we believe that purchases by Bitcoin Digital Asset Treasury Company (DAT) are likely to end as valuations… no longer support further expansion of Bitcoin DAT. While we expect consolidation rather than outright purchases, it is unlikely that DAT purchases will provide further support,” Kendrick said in a December note.
DAT is an organization that buys and holds cryptocurrencies, primarily Bitcoin, and attempts to outperform the market. However, some analysts have suggested that a sharp decline in crypto prices could reduce the valuations of these companies, hurting their ability to raise additional capital. Kendrick suggests that these DATs are unlikely to buy the same amount of Bitcoin as before to support the market.
Meanwhile, Kendrick said Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which allow investors to track the price of the digital currency without owning the underlying asset, are likely to drive prices higher in 2026.
“As a result, we believe that future Bitcoin price increases will effectively come from just one leg: ETF purchases,” Kendrick said.
Maple Finance: $175,000
Maple Finance CEO Sidney Powell said he has set a price target for Bitcoin this year of $175,000, driven by lower interest rates and “increased institutional adoption of Bitcoin.”
In December 2024, Chairman Powell predicted that a price correction would occur in 2025, and that correction did occur. He also had an aggressive goal of $180,000 to $200,000 in Bitcoin acquisitions in 2025, but this was not achieved.
However, he said the big milestone for Bitcoin in 2026 will be when Bitcoin-backed loans exceed $100 billion.
“Bitcoin holders are becoming increasingly sophisticated and unwilling to sell their BTC and want to borrow against BTC as collateral. This creates a virtuous cycle where selling pressure is reduced, utility increases, and the price rises.”
Bitmining: $75,000 to $225,000
Bitmining chief economist Youwei Yang also predicts that Bitcoin volatility will continue. Yang said he expects Bitcoin’s trading range in 2026 to be between $75,000 and $220,500.
“2026 could be a strong year for Bitcoin, supported by the potential for interest rate cuts and a relaxed regulatory stance towards cryptocurrencies,” Yang said. “However, volatility is likely to increase as macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties continue.”
In December 2024, Yang’s previous call was partially correct. He predicted that Bitcoin could fall to around $80,000 by 2025, and he was right. He also predicted it could fetch between $180,000 and $190,000, but this did not materialize.
Nexo: $150,000 to $200,000
Crypto exchange analyst Ilya Karchev said Nexo’s call for $250,000 for Bitcoin in 2025 “is less a rejection of a long-term theme and more a result of market mechanisms colliding with changes in the macro environment.”
Karchev said this price did not materialize because long-term holders who had accumulated Bitcoin at low prices started selling, and then institutional investors bought Bitcoin.
But Karchev said 2026 “looks to be more constructive” as long-term holders sell off their holdings and institutional allocations “gradually rise from still modest levels.”
“Bitcoin is entering 2026 with less supply risk and a broader capital base,” Karchev said.
“If financial conditions turn more supportive, whether through accommodative policy, a weaker dollar, or renewed liquidity, Bitcoin could rally and surpass its previous highs,” he added.
