Bitcoin (BTC) price predictions for 2026

By Finance News On Jan 8, 2026

After an all-time high and a big tumble for bitcoin last year, industry executives and investors told CNBC that the cryptocurrency could reach new heights in 2026 — but with the potential for huge volatility.

In CNBC’s annual roundup of bitcoin predictions, several commentators forecast a wide range of prices for bitcoin in 2026, dropping as low as $75,000 and rising as high as $225,000.

Last October, bitcoin hit a record high of over $126,000 before falling later in the year to lows of around $80,000, according to CoinMetrics. Bitcoin is sitting around 30% lower than its all-time high.

Last year’s crypto market was buoyed by what was viewed as a more favorable regulatory environment in the U.S. under President Donald Trump, and increasing interest from larger institutional investors and traditional financial players like banks.

Meanwhile, there was a boom in so-called digital asset treasury (DAT) companies, which accumulate large amounts of bitcoin and other digital coins.

Bitcoin price over the last year.

At the same time, debate continues over the valuations of technology stocks and whether the artificial intelligence boom will turn into a bubble.

The crypto sell-off at the end of the year came against that backdrop. As investors reassessed risk assets and crypto holders sold digital currencies, there were forced liquidations, which exacerbated the selling. This has created a tough backdrop for 2026.

“We are in a complex investing environment. Equity valuations are stretched, the geopolitical environment is chaotic and evolving, there are fears about the near-term durability of AI capex deployment, monetary policy conditions appear to be shifting, and the U.S. midterm elections are on the horizon,” Alex Thorn, head of research at Galaxy, told CNBC.

“Against this backdrop, the outlook for bitcoin in 2026 is tough to predict.”

Here are some of the boldest forecasts for the price of bitcoin in 2026.

Carol Alexander: $75,000-$150,000

In 2026, bitcoin will remain in a “high-volatility range” of between $75,000 and $150,000, “with the centre of gravity around” $110,000, according to Carol Alexander, professor of finance at the University of Sussex.

That’s “as the market digests a transition from retail-led cycles to institutionally distributed liquidity.” Historically, bitcoin’s price has been driven by retail traders. But over the past two years, an increasing number of institutional investors have been involved in the space. Many cryptocurrency experts expect this to continue this year.

Alexander has had a good track record in her bitcoin predictions over the last few years. But, she previously said bitcoin could hit $200,000 in 2026, which did not materialize. She did however, say that by the summer of 2025, bitcoin could be trading “around $150,000 plus or minus $50,000.” Indeed, during the summer of 2025, bitcoin was trading above $100,000.

CoinShares: $120,000-$170,000

James Butterfill, head of research for…