Key Highlights
- Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse predicts Bitcoin could reach $180,000 by the end of 2026.
- Charles Hoskinson forecasts Bitcoin could rise to $250,000, supported by ETFs, big firms, and more users.
- Institutional companies like BlackRock, Vanguard, and Fidelity are investing in Bitcoin, while real-world crypto uses like payments and tokenization are growing.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said Bitcoin could reach $180,000 by the end of 2026 during a panel at Binance Blockchain Week 2025.
Speaking alongside Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation, and Binance CEO Richard Teng, Garlinghouse said, “I’ll go out on a limb, and I’ll say Bitcoin $180,000, December 23rd or December 31st, 2026.”
At the time, Bitcoin was trading around $93,000, after reaching over $126,000 a few months earlier. But currently, the token has dropped and trades for $88,845, according to CoinMarketCap.
Prediction backed by interest from institutional firms
During the panel, Garlinghouse noted that the growing interest from major financial companies is helping Bitcoin. He mentioned that firms like BlackRock, Vanguard, and Fidelity’s involvement is “long-term, structural” rather than just for quick profit. He added that clearer U.S. rules are giving these companies confidence to invest money that they had kept on the side. According to him, these factors provide strong tailwinds for Bitcoin’s growth over the next 12 to 18 months.
Liu gave a more cautious view. She said Bitcoin could go above $100,000 but did not give a specific date. Richard Teng said he believes Bitcoin will grow in the long run but warned that prices depend on how the world economy and adoption change. Garlinghouse added that dips and drops are normal in crypto markets, but long-term trends and rules make the market stronger.
He also talked about real-world uses for crypto. Bitcoin and other digital assets are being used for payments, tokenization, and Web3 projects.
“There are so many macro factors that are continuing to provide tailwinds for this industry,” Garlinghouse said, meaning many things are helping the crypto market grow. He thinks that more people using crypto and more practical uses will keep the market strong.
Charles Hoskinson predicts $250k by end of 2026
Ethereum co-founder and Input Output CEO Charles Hoskinson shared a more extreme prediction. In a CNBC interview last month, he said Bitcoin could reach $250,000 by the end of 2026. Hoskinson noted that market growth is supported by ETFs, institutional investment, and a rapidly expanding user base.
Hoskinson explained that crypto is more than a financial asset, stating it supports social networks, artificial intelligence, supply chains, and global trade. “There’s no way for these markets to stay depressed forever,” he said, referring to the current macroeconomic challenges.
He discussed the scale of adoption, saying the number of crypto users could grow to over a billion in the coming years. He highlighted that real-world assets, stablecoins, and institutional participation create strong fundamentals.
Bitcoin’s growth, according to him, is part of a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity that is reshaping finance and technology.
Also Read: Fidelity CEO Discloses Owning BTC, Says It Is the “Gold Standard”
