$BTC Garlinghouse predicts that bitcoin will reach 180,000 dollars by the end of 2026
The CEO of Ripple, Brad Garlinghouse, delivered one of his most optimistic forecasts to date, predicting that bitcoin will reach 180,000 dollars by the end of 2026.
Speaking alongside Lily Liu, president of the Solana Foundation, and Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, during Binance Blockchain Week, he stated that the market is in a temporary "risk-off" phase, following the brutal liquidation in October, during which over 20 billion dollars in leveraged BTC positions vanished, reports Cryptopolitan.
Bitcoin remains about 30% below its all-time high, but Mr. Garlinghouse claims that the rotation of traders into stablecoins is a healthy signal that markets are resetting rather than capitulating. With the United States providing clearer regulations and holding 22% of global GDP, he believes that the environment in 2026 is the strongest it has been in years. According to him, cryptocurrencies are moving from speculation to utility in the real world, with applications becoming easier to use and more problem-focused.
Leaders believe that the pullback in bitcoin is normal as institutions continue to increase their exposure.
Lily Liu described the bitcoin drop as a "normal correction" after a liquidity surge at the beginning of the year, adding that BTC remains fundamentally strong even at 90,000 dollars and is likely to regain levels above 100,000 dollars. Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, echoed this sentiment, highlighting that volatility is not unique to crypto and emphasizing strong institutional demand: "The number of registrations doubled last year and has doubled again this year. The overall trend, according to them, remains extremely positive.
