One Bitcoin Forecasted to Reach $150,000 in One Year

At the beginning of 2025, nobody could have predicted this: Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) fell about 7% last year and is still trading well below the psychologically important $100,000 level.

Although market sentiment on crypto may have soured, there’s no need to give up on Bitcoin. The world’s largest cryptocurrency has never had back-to-back losing years, and there’s reason to think that Bitcoin can return to form in 2026. In fact, I’m predicting that the price of Bitcoin will hit $150,000 in 2026, surpassing its all-time high of about $126,000.

Institutional Adoption

The major catalyst for Bitcoin remains institutional adoption. Major financial institutions continue to embrace Bitcoin, and new steps are being taken to further integrate Bitcoin into the global financial system. Maybe Bitcoin has not yet gone fully mainstream, but it certainly has the attention of both Wall Street and the White House.

In 2026, this scale of institutional adoption is likely to pick up. It’s probable that Wall Street banks will continue to roll out new financial products for their customers, including new financial derivatives designed to minimize the risk and volatility of holding Bitcoin. This should open the door further to risk-averse institutional investors currently on the fence about buying Bitcoin.

Moreover, Michael Saylor, founder and executive chairman of Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), continues to point out that “corporate participation” is at all-time highs. Simply put, corporations are seeking new ways to add Bitcoin to their balance sheets. Simultaneously, smaller and medium-sized businesses are looking to integrate Bitcoin into their corporate strategies.

On this front, a big move in 2026 could be the adoption of Bitcoin by a major tech company in Silicon Valley. Such a move could fundamentally change the narrative around Bitcoin and help persuade other companies to follow suit. A similar phenomenon occurred in 2021 when Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) first embraced Bitcoin and acquired the crypto.

In tandem, the Trump administration continues to make strides with its new pro-Bitcoin policies, including initiatives aimed at making it easier to include Bitcoin in 401(k) plans.

One of the key developments occurred in March, with the establishment of the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Although this reserve currently only holds Bitcoin that has been seized or confiscated, there’s potential for it to begin actively accumulating Bitcoin in the near future.

If that happens, it could spark a trend among other sovereign nations. Speculation is rife that large-scale purchases of Bitcoin by the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve might initiate a global Bitcoin arms race, driving prices upward significantly.

How High Can Bitcoin Go in 2026?

Considering the rapid pace of institutional adoption, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) has projected that Bitcoin could reach a price of $170,000 in 2026. Meanwhile, Tom Lee from Fundstrat envisions Bitcoin soaring all the way to $250,000.

However, the once widely-cited $1 million price forecasts have faded. Cathie Wood from Ark Invest has also reined in her previous $1.5 million Bitcoin prediction, cautioning that the rise of stablecoins could diminish Bitcoin’s potential as a practical currency for everyday transactions.

Even online prediction markets seem less hopeful about Bitcoin’s immediate future. Currently, traders estimate only a 14% chance of Bitcoin surpassing the $200,000 threshold next year. Nonetheless, I still maintain that Bitcoin could rise by 70%, hitting a price of $150,000 by the end of 2026. A favorable global macroeconomic landscape may encourage investors to perceive Bitcoin as a high-upside risk asset with a relative safety net.

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