Crypto forecast 2026: will next year become a new bull cycle
Crypto forecast from Bitwise
Analysts at the large investment company Bitwise expect that in 2026, Bitcoin will move away from the traditional four-year cycle, as the impact of halving has diminished following the launch of Bitcoin ETFs and the inflow of institutional investments.
According to the experts' crypto forecast, against the backdrop of new market trends, there is a need for deeper analysis of the factors influencing the crypto market and a rejection of previous valuation models.
Bitwise also believes that 2026 will be a "bullish" year for the crypto sector, with Bitcoin reaching new highs.
Additionally, according to the Bitwise crypto forecast, the pace of Bitcoin purchases by exchange-traded funds (ETFs) will continue to outstrip the rate of new coin issuance. The company cites statistics: since the launch of crypto funds based on the first cryptocurrency, almost twice as many bitcoins have been purchased as have been mined — 710,000 versus 363,000 BTC.
In its crypto forecast, Bitwise believes that Bitcoin will maintain a trend toward lower volatility, which it already compares to stable shares of the well-known tech giant Nvidia. At the same time, the company notes a declining correlation between cryptocurrencies and traditional assets such as stock indices.
Finally, another essential trend according to the Bitwise crypto forecast will be growing interest in shares of crypto companies, which are expected to outpace tech-sector stocks in terms of growth rates on the stock market.
Crypto forecast from Grayscale
Like Bitwise, analysts at another well-known investment company, Grayscale, expect the end of Bitcoin's four-year cycles. According to the Grayscale crypto forecast, the price of Bitcoin could reach a new all-time high as early as the first half of 2026.
However, the investment company VanEck disagrees with the crypto forecasts of Bitwise and Grayscale. In VanEck's view, Bitcoin's four-year cycle remains relevant. However, the company agrees that in 2026, one should expect lower volatility for Bitcoin and major altcoins, which is directly tied to the inflow of institutional investment.
As noted by Grayscale, this trend applies not only to Bitcoin but also to other digital assets that serve as alternatives to national currencies. Experts note that the risks of U.S. dollar devaluation amid unprecedented increases in government debt are forcing investors to shift their attention to more transparent and decentralized assets such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Zcash (ZEC).
In addition, according to the Grayscale crypto forecast, growth in institutional interest should be expected, along with increased demand for infrastructure projects and yield-generating assets. Grayscale noted that, in addition to major blockchains, large investors are attracted to financial applications such as the crypto derivatives exchange Hyperliquid and the token launch platform Pump.fun.
Among infrastructure solutions, Grayscale highlights the Sui and Near Protocol projects. Grayscale analysts believe that such projects are suitable for creating new decentralized applications that implement a wide range of use cases, from micropayments and online gaming to high-performance AI solutions.
Separately, Grayscale experts highlight the real-world assets (RWA) sector in the crypto market. According to the company's crypto forecast, a new surge can be expected in this segment in 2026, and by 2030, the volume of the RWA market could increase by 1,000 times.
According to the Grayscale crypto forecast, further growth in demand for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies is expected. In 2025, coins such as Zcash (ZEC) and Monero (XMR) demonstrated strong growth, and this growth may continue in 2026.
Crypto forecast on cryptocurrency regulation and the stablecoin market
Analysts are focusing on the developing CLARITY ACT bill, designed to regulate the stablecoin market. As expected, the CLARITY ACT will be adopted in 2026.
According to Grayscale analysts, the bill will have a positive impact on the cryptocurrency sector by firmly establishing digital assets within the U.S. legal framework. The Bitwise crypto forecast indicates that an improved regulatory environment in the United States could be one of the factors driving Bitcoin to new highs.
In addition, according to the crypto forecast, if the CLARITY ACT comes into force, tokens of key ecosystems such as Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) will also reach new highs, as they are actively used for stablecoin transactions and possess the highest liquidity in this segment.
However, for some analysts, the adoption of the CLATITY ACT raises concerns about governments of developing countries accusing stablecoins of exacerbating their currency problems. According to the Bitwise crypto forecast, stablecoins may face difficulties in emerging markets.
In developing countries with high inflation and significant portions of the population lacking access to banking services, stablecoins serve as an alternative to national currencies. Analysts highlight the depreciation of local currencies as the main reason for stablecoin usage. According to the crypto forecast, in 2026, amid the growing popularity of cryptocurrencies, this trend may intensify. Grayscale believes that the role of stablecoins in international and consumer payments will strengthen in 2026.