- Bitcoin price rose 13% to $122,025 this week, approaching its all-time high. Major financial institutions released 2025 forecasts.
- Gemini’s exec links the cycle to human psychology, suggesting institutional growth may dampen its characteristic volatility swings.
Bitcoin trades near $122,025, marking a 13% gain over seven days. The asset is now close to its all-time high of $124,500. Major financial institutions have released their assessments for where the price may go by the end of next year.
Citigroup analysts project a rise to around $133,000. Their main forecast depends on continued buying from spot Bitcoin ETFs and companies adding Bitcoin to their balance sheets. The bank estimates ETF inflows will total $7.5 billion this year. Alternatively, Citigroup outlines a scenario where Bitcoin falls to $83,000, a possibility tied to a worsening economy and reduced investor appetite for risk.
JPMorgan Chase uses a different method. Strategists there, including Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, compare Bitcoin to gold. They note that after adjusting for volatility, Bitcoin appears priced too low.
The team calculates that Bitcoin’s market value would need to grow 42% to match the private investment in gold. That adjustment leads to a price target near $165,000. Their outlook also considers the potential for money to move from gold into Bitcoin if ETF purchases persist.
Standard Chartered offers the highest forecast, predicting a climb to $200,000. The bank points to steady weekly ETF inflows and shifts in global liquidity as core reasons. Another firm, VanEck, sees Bitcoin reaching $180,000.
Its analysts reference the April halving, which reduced the rate of new Bitcoin supply. History shows that major price rallies often occur between 365 and 550 days after a halving. Currently, 533 days have passed, placing Bitcoin within this window.
Divided Analyst Forecasts on Cycle Peak Timing
Saad Ahmed, an executive at the Gemini exchange, commented on the phenomenon. He stated that a market cycle will probably persist in some form. According to Ahmed, the pattern originates from collective human psychology. Investor enthusiasm often leads to over-extension, typically followed by a decline and a subsequent stabilization.
Other experts hold a different view. Matt Hougan, the Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, said he does not expect Bitcoin to strictly follow its previous cycle. He shared his opinion that 2026 could still see an upward trend for the cryptocurrency. Hougan added that conditions appear set for positive performance over the coming years.
