While the year 2025 will be quite challenging for investors in the cryptocurrency markets, predictions about the future of Bitcoin have once again become the center of the agenda. The last 12 months have essentially been a bear market, and Bitcoin may now be on the verge of a long-running bull run that could extend into 2035, according to Jan3 founder Samson Mow. However, the entire industry is not united in this opinion; some analysts argue that 2026 could be the start of a new downward cycle.
Was 2025 a Bear Market or a Long Bull Start?
Samson Mow made a striking statement in his post on the Mow’s view was also supported by PlanC, one of the well-known analysts. PlanC pointed out that the current declines are cyclical, saying, “He who survived 2025 also survived the bear market.”
However, Bitcoin seems very close to ending the year in the red. According to CoinMarketCap data, Bitcoin is trading at $87,210, losing 8.98 percent since the beginning of the year. As PlanC points out, two consecutive red annual candles have yet to be seen in Bitcoin history. This strengthens the tendency for some investors to interpret the current decline as a long-term buying opportunity.
On the other hand, the general mood in the market is extremely cautious. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has fallen to 20 points as of December 26, remaining in the “extreme fear” zone for more than two weeks. This table clearly shows that investors avoid taking risks in the short term.
Dark Scenarios and Opposing Views for 2026
Expectations in the industry for 2026 are quite different. While experienced trader Peter Brandt predicts that Bitcoin may drop to $60,000 in the third quarter of 2026, Fidelity’s global macro research director Jurrien Timmer defines 2026 as a “break year” for Bitcoin and sees $65,000 levels as possible.
However, the optimistic front is also strong. Strategy CEO Phong Le argues that Bitcoin’s fundamental dynamics remain intact even as price and sentiment decline in 2025. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan states that 2026 will be the year of rise again for Bitcoin.
In addition to these discussions, the recent increase in institutional inflows to spot Bitcoin ETFs in the USA also stands out as an important development. The fact that some large funds expanded their portfolios, especially in December, stands out as a different news headline that indicates that long-term expectations are still alive.
As a result, the picture is not clear on the Bitcoin front; While fear and uncertainty prevail in the short term, a strong story continues to be told in the long term. The question of whether 2025 is truly a bear market or the quiet beginning of a major bull run will probably be answered more clearly in a few years. However, the fact that both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios are based on strong arguments requires investors to take risk management more seriously than ever.
