Bitwise Predicts New Bitcoin Highs in 2026, Breaking Four-Year Cycle
Bitwise forecasts that Bitcoin will reach a new all-time high in 2026, potentially surpassing its current ATH of $126,080 set in early October. This projection signals an end to the traditional four-year cycle pattern historically seen in Bitcoin's price movements. The firm points to weaker influences from previous cycle drivers such as Bitcoin halving events, interest rate cycles, and leverage-driven booms and busts. Instead, ongoing institutional capital inflows and regulatory tailwinds are expected to contribute to Bitcoin breaking this cycle.
As of now, Bitcoin traded around $87,800, which represents a 2% increase over the past 24 hours but remains over 30% below its all-time high. Bitwise also anticipates that Bitcoin's volatility will be lower than that of Nvidia by 2026, and its correlation with stocks may decline due to regulatory advancements and increased institutional adoption.
The outlook extends beyond Bitcoin. Ethereum and Solana could also achieve new highs in 2026 if the CLARITY Act is enacted, as the legislation is connected to megatrends such as tokenization and stablecoins. Crypto equities are predicted to outperform traditional technology stocks in that year, and it is expected that half of Ivy League endowments may allocate investments to crypto.
The CLARITY Act is considered a key catalyst for providing regulatory clarity, which would enable broader institutional participation in the cryptocurrency market.
