Bitcoin forecasts for 2026: Banks, institutions and experts name their price targets
- By the end of 2026, many see Bitcoin at $150,000-$250,000, buoyed by institutional demand and US spot ETFs.
- Bearish scenarios range from $70,000/56,000 to $25,000 and, in extreme cases, $10,000.
At the end of the year, Bitcoin forecasts for 2026 from major banks, asset managers and prominent experts are piling up again. The Bild is divided into two parts: The majority is bullish and predicts a price range of $150,000 to $250,000 by the end of 2026. At the same time, the spectrum of bearish scenarios ranges from $70,000 to $56,000, $25,000 and, in extreme cases, $10,000.
The Bullish Bitcoin Predictions for 2026
Standing out in the bullish camp is Fundstrat co-founder Tom Lee, who has publicly stated a range of $200,000 to $250,000 by the end of 2026. According to Lee, growing institutional buying demand and US spot ETFs will catapult Bitcoin to new heights.
Even within Fundstrat, however, there are differing opinions: Sean Farrell, Head of Digital Asset Strategy, believes a deeper correction in the first half of the year is possible in an internal 2026 strategy and names $60,000 to $65,000 as the target range for BTC.
During a panel discussion at Binance Blockchain Week on December 4, 2025, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that he expects $180,000 by the end of 2026. Solana Foundation President Lily Liu remained less specific during the talk, but predicted a Bitcoin price above $100,000.
On the banking side, JPMorgan supports a constructive outlook with a valuation model: Using a “volatility-adjusted BTC-to-gold relative valuation”, the derived price target is around 170,000 US dollars.
Standard Chartered has significantly cut its previously more aggressive expectations: to around $100,000 for the end of 2025 and to around $150,000 for 2026. The bank cites the current market weakness and fading drivers as reasons, including fewer “DAT” purchases and slower ETF inflows.
Bernstein also remains at $150,000, but argues that a recent pullback is not necessarily the end of the bull market and that the cycle follows less strictly the halving cycle, but can transition into a longer bullish phase through institutional capital.
Citigroup forecasts a 12-month base case of $143,000, linking it to expected ETF inflows and positive US crypto legislation. At the same time, Citi names a key support level around $70,000 and presents three scenarios: $143,000 as a base, $78,500 as a bearish variant and $189,000 as a bullish case with broad institutional and retail participation.
The bearish Bitcoin predictions for 2026
In contrast, there are bearish scenarios that argue less with a “lack of upside” but rather with a lack of demand, withdrawal of liquidity and technical structure.
On-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant argues that demand growth has slowed sharply and the market has already entered a bearish phase. The company cites $70,000 as the medium-term zone; If there is further loss of momentum, a lower scenario around $56,000 is outlined, close to the realized price region, which has historically often marked the bear market low.
The renowned trader Peter Brandt is cautious to bearish for 2026 because he sees a structural weakness in the long-term chart (break in the parabolic trend structure). He believes a very deep correction is possible. According to Brandt, an 80% drawdown cannot be ruled out, which would mean a Bitcoin price of around $25,000.
At the lower end of the range, Bloomberg Intelligence expert Mike McGlone warns of an extreme case around $10,000, which he links in the source to a deflationary macro regime, tighter liquidity and a broad purge of speculative assets. It is important to note that McGlone has been warning of a crash to $10,000 for some time (March this year).
Barclays and VanEck are positioned in the neutral area. The former forecast 2026 as a potentially “flat to weaker” market year if catalysts fail to materialize, citing falling spot volumes and weaker retail participation. VanEck is predicting more of a consolidation phase: not a clear blow-off, but not an inevitable crash either, but rather a year in which the market “digests” previous volatility.
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