Top Bitcoin 2026 Price Predictions: From $75,000 Up to $225,000

Bitcoin started the year at a critical stage, being between the long-term bullish predictions and the short-term bearish trends. The leading cryptocurrency reached its all-time high of $126,000 in October 2025, but after that, it suffered a significant decline and is currently trading around $91,000, approximately 27% lower than its peak.

The crypto market last year was driven by a new favorable regulatory environment in the US under President Trump, considered to be the main factor, and also the growing interest from major institutional investors.

Where Bitcoin Stands Now

On January 9, 2026, Bitcoin rose by 1.06% and was trading at $91,016. The price movement is still confined within a wide consolidation range of $84,000 to $94,000, a range that has been in place since the middle of November. 

From a technical perspective, the inability to regain the $95,000-$100,000 zone has resulted in medium-term momentum being pressured.

 If the price falls through the $88,000-$90,000 support, it could lead Bitcoin to a more significant correction towards $74,000-$75,000, considered a key area of reaccumulation by analysts.

Price Predictions for 2026

CoinShares: James Butterfill, head of research for crypto-focused asset manager CoinShares, expects to see bitcoin in a range of between $120,000-$170,000 in 2026, with “more constructive price action likely occurring in the second half of the year.” 

Butterfill said investors will be watching to see who the new chair of the US Federal Reserve will be after Jerome Powell’s tenure ends in May. The new person is “likely to be dovish,” but markets will wait for clarity “before repricing risk assets more decisively,” Butterfill said. 

Standard Chartered: Standard Chartered has a Bitcoin price forecast of $150,000 for 2026, cutting it from the previous call of $300,000. 

Geoff Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital asset research, said that the price decline seen in 2025 was “within expected bounds.” However, the price action has led Standard Chartered to revise its call. 

Bit Mining: Youwei Yang, chief economist at Bit Mining, presents the widest forecast range among major predictions, between $75,000 to $225,000. This 200% spread reflects extraordinary uncertainty about how multiple competing forces will resolve. 

"2026 could be a strong year for Bitcoin, supported by potential rate cuts and a more accommodating regulatory stance toward crypto," Yang states. 

Carol Alexander: Carol Alexander, professor of finance at the University of Sussex, forecasts Bitcoin will remain in a "high-volatility range" between $75,000 and $150,000 in 2026, with the "centre of gravity around" $110,000. 

Also Read: XRP vs Bitcoin: Rare Ichimoku Breakout Signals Potential XRP Rally

Key Catalysts to Watch

May 2026 might be the time when Bitcoin comes to a major turning point, as the transition of the US Federal Reserve chair will take place. The market expects more dovish leadership; therefore, it will impact liquidity and investors' risk appetite. 

Furthermore, the passing of US digital asset regulations is likely to eliminate the long-standing uncertainty and thus attract bigger institutional participation.

On the other hand, a major change in the market is the increasing popularity of Bitcoin-backed loans, which not only allows the holders to keep their coins but also to sell them by borrowing against the BTC.

Risks and Downside Scenarios

The exhaustion of leveraged buying by companies holding Bitcoin, surprises in inflation, or macroeconomic shocks may bring back the risk-off behavior. 

If the price goes below $88,000, confirmed by a technical break, it would make the argument stronger for the price to drop towards $74,000, which is the level where the long-term buyers will be waiting to buy more.