Bitwise's Bold Bitcoin Predictions for 2026

Bitwise, a big name in crypto investments, is making some bold predictions for Bitcoin in 2026. They think Bitcoin will hit new highs, breaking the usual four-year cycle pattern. This cycle pattern is known for three strong years followed by a big drop in the fourth year. But Bitwise thinks things are different now. The company points to a few reasons for this change. First, the impact of the Bitcoin halving, where the reward for mining new blocks is cut in half, is not as strong as it used to be. Second, they expect interest rate cuts, which usually boost Bitcoin's price. Lastly, they think the risk of major market crashes is lower now. Bitwise also believes that Ethereum and Solana could reach new highs, but only if the CLARITY Act becomes law. This law would provide clear rules for crypto, which Bitwise thinks would be a big boost for these cryptocurrencies.Right now, Bitcoin is trading at around $87, 800. It's up 2% in the last 24 hours but still down more than 30% from its highest point. Over the past year, Bitcoin has actually fallen nearly 18%, while traditional stock markets like the Nasdaq and S&P 500 have gone up. Bitwise expects Bitcoin to become less connected to the stock market in 2026. They also predict that Bitcoin will be less volatile than Nvidia, the world's largest company by market cap. This combination of higher returns, less volatility, and lower connection to the stock market is what Bitwise calls the "trifecta" of good investment conditions. Other predictions from Bitwise include crypto-related stocks outperforming tech stocks, half of Ivy League universities' investment funds putting money into crypto, and Ethereum and Solana reaching new highs if the CLARITY Act passes. They believe these two cryptocurrencies will benefit from trends like tokenization and stablecoins, which would be further supported by clear regulations from the CLARITY Act.