As Bitcoin (BTC) maintains a consolidated trading range between $86,000 and 
$90,000 after experiencing a 30% correction from its all-time high in October, 
market expectations for the cryptocurrency’s future remain optimistic. Market 
analyst Dominic Basulto from The Motley Fool believes that despite the 
persistent challenges seen in the fourth quarter of the year, Bitcoin could 
soar to $150,000 by 2026, fueled by the newly established US Strategic Bitcoin 
Reserve. Is $150,000 Possible For Bitcoin? Historical context supports 
Basulto’s prediction; Bitcoin’s performance over the years has shown 
significant recovery potential, with 2015 marking its worst bull market year 
at just a 36% gain. Significantly, in seven of its years, Bitcoin has achieved 
triple-digit percentage returns. The analyst suggests that 2026 may resemble 
2019, a year when Bitcoin appreciated by 95% following the dismal performance 
in 2018, when it plummeted by 74%. Related Reading: XRP Supply Shock Incoming? 
Expert Reveals The Truth In 2019, several catalysts, such as heightened global 
economic uncertainty and a surge in institutional interest, propelled Bitcoin 
upwards—situations that appear similar to current conditions. Institutional 
investors are increasingly adding BTC to their portfolios, driven by spot 
Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Meanwhile, concerns over global tariffs 
and macroeconomic instability in the US continue to resonate among investors, 
setting the stage for potential bullish movement. However, Basulto emphasizes 
that Bitcoin can only reach the $150,000 milestone if it is perceived as a 
long-term store of value. If investors view it merely as another high-risk 
asset, they may choose to favor physical gold over digital gold, which has 
seen a record-breaking year. The crux of his argument centers on one pivotal 
factor that could significantly impact Bitcoin&#8217;s price: a notable increase in 
purchases by the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. What Happens If Nations 
Stockpile BTC? Basulto claims that if the US government were to start buying 
substantial quantities of Bitcoin, it could trigger a global arms race among 
other countries keen to create their own strategic BTC reserves. According to 
the analyst, such purchases from national reserves could dramatically inflate 
Bitcoin’s price, likely surpassing the impact of corporate treasury companies 
that have already amassed close to 5% of the world’s circulating BTC supply. 
Related Reading: Investment Firm CEO Drops Utility Bomb On XRP, Is Community 
Hype A Detriment? Although reaching the $150,000 mark may seem ambitious given 
Bitcoin&#8217;s recent performance, more aggressive predictions exist for 2026. For 
instance, JPMorgan Chase has forecasted a potential price of $170,000, while 
Wall Street strategist Tom Lee from Fundstrat has suggested that BTC might 
even hit $250,000 next year. While a variety of factors must align for BTC to 
reclaim its status as digital gold, the possibility of elevated prices hinges 
on strategic actions by both the US government and institutional investors. 
Basulto concluded that if the leading cryptocurrency can consolidate its 
position and the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve gains traction, the predicted price 
of $150,000 could be achieved by next year. At the time of writing, BTC&#8217;s 
price retraced towards $87,330 following an early Monday move above $90,500. 
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: Key Catalyst For Potential Surge Toward $150,000 Next Year

The Bitcoin network concluded 2025 with a mining difficulty of 148.2 trillion, 
established in its final adjustment of the year, according to network data

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Arthur Hayes, former chief executive of BitMEX, has forecast that Zcash could 
reach a four-figure price level, citing privacy narrative demand.

Former BitMEX CEO Hayes predicts Zcash could reach $1,000 on privacy demand

Recent fund transfers by Pump.fun have renewed debate within the crypto space 
over whether platform profits constitute legit business operations or 
excessive value extraction from users

Pump.fun’s $615m Q4 transfers reignite crypto profit debate

XRP is trading below critical technical levels after losing the $2 mark, a 
breakdown that has shifted market sentiment decisively toward fear. Bulls are 
struggling to find reliable support as price action weakens, and recent 
attempts at stabilization have failed to attract sustained demand. The loss of 
this psychological and structural level has left XRP vulnerable, with traders 
increasingly positioning defensively amid broader uncertainty across the 
altcoin market. Related Reading: Why $100,000 Is Bitcoin’s Most Important 
Resistance Level According to analysis shared by Darkfost, selling pressure on 
XRP has intensified materially over recent weeks. The data shows that the 
current move is not a minor pullback, but part of a deeper corrective phase. 
XRP has declined by roughly 50% from its cycle peak near $3.66, falling toward 
the $1.85 region. This magnitude of decline reflects a clear shift in market 
behavior, as earlier optimism has given way to risk reduction and capital 
preservation. Darkfost’s assessment suggests that the increase in selling is 
driven by a combination of profit-taking from older positions and capitulation 
from more recent buyers who entered at higher levels. As the price moves 
further away from prior highs, confidence has deteriorated, reinforcing the 
downside momentum. Exchange Inflows Highlight Rising Sell-Side Pressure 
Darkfost further explains that the recent surge in selling pressure becomes 
especially clear when examining XRP inflows to exchanges, with Binance 
standing out as the primary focal point. As the exchange that concentrates the 
largest share of XRP trading volume, Binance often serves as an early 
indicator of shifting market intent. Rising inflows to exchanges are commonly 
interpreted as a signal that holders are preparing to sell, particularly when 
the increase is sudden and sustained. After several weeks of relatively calm 
conditions, characterized by stable and moderate inflows, this pattern changed 
sharply around December 15. Since then, XRP transfers to Binance have 
accelerated, with daily inflows consistently ranging between 35 million XRP 
and a pronounced spike of roughly 116 million XRP recorded on December 19. 
This marks a clear break from the prior holding-oriented behavior observed 
through much of October and November. The shift in inflow dynamics suggests a 
change in investor psychology. Longer-term holders appear to be taking profits 
after XRP’s strong run earlier in the cycle, while more recent entrants are 
increasingly capitulating and selling at a loss as the price continues to 
slide. This combination amplifies downside pressure and reinforces the current 
corrective trend. As long as elevated exchange inflows persist, conditions for 
accumulation remain unfavorable. Without a meaningful slowdown in deposits, 
XRP is likely to struggle to form a durable base, increasing the risk that the 
correction extends further in both time and depth. Related Reading: Trust 
Wallet Exploit Drains $7M: Hundreds Of Users Affected XRP Price Action 
Details: Testing Demand XRP continues to trade under clear technical pressure, 
with price hovering near the $1.87–$1.90 zone after a prolonged downtrend on 
the daily chart. The structure shows a decisive loss of bullish control 
following the rejection from the $3.00–$3.50 region earlier in the year. Since 
that peak, XRP has consistently printed lower highs and lower lows, confirming 
a bearish market structure that remains intact. From a trend perspective, the 
price is trading below all major moving averages. The short-term moving 
average has turned sharply lower and now acts as immediate dynamic resistance, 
while the medium- and long-term averages are also sloping downward, 
reinforcing the broader bearish bias. Each recent attempt at a relief bounce 
has failed below these averages, suggesting that sellers continue to dominate 
rallies. Related Reading: Bitcoin and Ethereum Coinbase Inflows Collapse While 
Binance Retains Relative Activity – Details The $1.80–$1.85 region is now a 
critical support area. This zone has absorbed several tests in recent weeks, 
indicating short-term demand, but the lack of a strong rebound highlights weak 
buying conviction. A clean break below this level would expose XRP to a deeper 
retracement toward the $1.50 region, where historical demand previously 
emerged. Unless XRP can reclaim the $2.10–$2.20 range and hold above it, the 
path of least resistance remains to the downside, with risks skewed toward 
further consolidation or continuation of the correction. Featured image from 
ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

Cryptocurrency price in VEF