Bitcoin's Prospects for 2026: Analysts Predict New Highs Amid Regulatory Momentum
According to Cointelegraph, the son of renowned investor Bill Miller, Bill Miller IV, has joined a group of analysts forecasting that Bitcoin will reach a new all-time high this year. This optimism is fueled by regulatory advancements in the United States and increasing adoption on Wall Street. Miller IV, who serves as the chief investment officer at Miller Value Partners, expressed his views during an interview with CNBC, highlighting that technical indicators suggest Bitcoin is poised for another upward movement. He anticipates that Bitcoin will surpass its previous all-time high from the fall.
Miller IV referenced comments from U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins, who noted that capital markets are transitioning onchain. He also pointed to major Wall Street firms like JPMorgan that are expanding their onchain activities. Miller IV described the current environment as a "whole new ballgame" for Bitcoin, suggesting that the cryptocurrency has established a stronger base than it did in the spring of 2025. Despite Bitcoin's 6% decline and being outperformed by gold last year, he downplayed the significance of these fluctuations, emphasizing the importance of a long-term perspective when analyzing charts. Historically, Bitcoin has not experienced two consecutive years of negative performance.
Bitcoin is currently valued at $93,750, reflecting a 25.6% decrease from its all-time high of $126,080 set on October 6, but it has risen by 7.1% in 2026, according to CoinGecko data. In another CNBC interview, Tom Lee, the chief investment officer at Fundstrat Capital, noted that Bitcoin entered 2026 with several favorable factors. He mentioned a reset in leverage on October 10th and ongoing institutional adoption, with Wall Street continuing to develop blockchain-based products. Lee also highlighted the support from the U.S. government as a positive influence.
While Lee did not provide a specific forecast for Bitcoin's peak in 2026, he previously suggested in mid-December that Bitcoin could reach a new high by the end of January. Meanwhile, Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner at crypto venture capital firm Dragonfly, predicted last week that Bitcoin would exceed $150,000 by the end of 2026, although he anticipated a decline in Bitcoin's dominance. Galaxy Digital, a crypto investment firm, refrained from making a definitive prediction, citing the chaotic nature of 2026 and estimating that Bitcoin's price could range between $50,000 and $250,000 by year's end.
