ExchangeDEX+

Buy Crypto Markets Spot Futures500X Earn Events

Bitcoin’s four-year cycle was driven by halving mechanics and other factors, but those forces are now weaker or reversing, according to Bitwise’s CIO. The post Bitcoin’s four-year cycle was driven by halving mechanics and other factors, but those forces are now weaker or reversing, according to Bitwise’s CIO. The post

Analyst Says Forget the Four-Year Cycle, Crypto’s New Reality Is the Ten-Year Grind

Author: Cryptonews AU

Source: Cryptonews AU

2025/12/24 12:06

TEN$0.0060785-5.57%

NOW$0.00164-4.09%

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan predicts Bitcoin will reach new record highs in 2026 driven by institutional adoption from major wealth platforms like Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan.
He argues the traditional four-year halving cycle is weakening because supply cuts are becoming less impactful and macroeconomic conditions like falling interest rates have shifted.
Future price action is expected to show lower volatility and a reduced correlation with the stock market as Bitcoin matures into a more independent asset class through ETFs.

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan said he expects Bitcoin to hit new all-time highs in 2026, while becoming less volatile and less tied to equity markets. He shared the themes ahead of Bitwise’s upcoming set of 10 predictions for 2026, without giving a specific peak price target.

Bitcoin’s “four-year cycle” is a pattern people have noticed around halving events, when the block reward paid to miners is cut in half. The idea is that a predictable drop in new supply lines up with a repeatable boom-and-bust rhythm in price.

In the traditional story, a big sell-off is followed by a quiet period where long-term holders accumulate. Then, as a halving approaches and passes, prices rise as new supply slows and demand picks up. That run-up has often ended in a speculative peak, followed by a sharp drop and a long, flat recovery phase. The cycle resets as the next halving approaches.

But Hougan said the forces behind the old cycle are weaker.

Today, these three forces are either much weaker or moving in opposite directions from past cycles. The bitcoin halving is by definition half as important as it was four years ago; interest rates are likely moving down in 2026, not up; and crypto didn’t boom in 2025.

Matt Hougan, Bitwise’s Chief Investment Officer

Read more: Palmer Luckey’s Erebor Bank Hits $4.35bn Valuation After $350m Raise

Volatility to Continue Its Downtrend

Hougan also said Bitcoin’s volatility has been trending down and should stay lower next year, arguing the investor base has broadened through ETFs and other traditional wrappers.

He also expects Bitcoin’s correlation with equities to fall in 2026, with crypto-specific factors such as regulation and institutional flows potentially driving returns even if stocks face pressure from valuations and slower growth.

Finally, Hougan expects institutional participation to expand in 2026 as large wealth platforms begin allocating, naming Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan.

Related: Crypto Industry Backs Cynthia Lummis as Pro-Bitcoin Senator Exits 2026 Race

The post Analyst Says Forget the Four-Year Cycle, Crypto’s New Reality Is the Ten-Year Grind appeared first on Crypto News Australia.

Market Opportunity

TEN Protocol Price(TEN)

$0.006072

$0.006072$0.006072

-0.81%

USD

TEN Protocol (TEN) Live Price Chart

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact [email protected] for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.