2026 will be red for Bitcoin, but payment tech will improve: BTC OGs

The market carnage will likely extend into 2026, with price bottoming out in Q4, but it isn't all bad news, according to early BTC adopters.

Bitcoin is likely headed for a challenging 2026, with many analysts expecting the cryptocurrency to extend its late-2025 downturn. Yet even as prices soften, early adopters say the coming year could mark a turning point for Bitcoin’s real-world utility, as payment infrastructure continues to mature and using BTC as a medium of exchange becomes simpler and more accessible.

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) may bottom out at about $60,000 in Q4 2026, presenting a buying opportunity, according to early Bitcoin investor Michael Terpin. Terpin forecast:

Bitcoin still has about a 20% chance of forming new highs before the cycle low, but these odds are dropping with each passing month, Terpin said. 

A new Federal Reserve chair should ease macroeconomic conditions by lowering interest rates, but if the Republican Party fails to secure both chambers of Congress in the 2026 US midterm elections, it will “cripple” the pro-crypto regulatory environment, Terpin said.

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