Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Expects Bitcoin to Hit $180K by End of 2026

Source: CryptoNewsNet Original Title: Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Expects Bitcoin to Hit $180K Next Year Original Link: Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse predicted onstage at a major blockchain conference on a panel about crypto’s future that Bitcoin will be trading at $180,000 by the end of 2026.

Though he didn’t provide specific reasons for the prediction, Garlinghouse shared that continued regulatory progress in the United States will be a catalyst for the entire crypto market. He specifically pointed to the stalled market structure bill, called the CLARITY Act.

“We have been championing regulatory clarity for crypto broadly in what is generally called the CLARITY Act in the United States,” said Garlinghouse. While he doesn’t think it will happen this year, “sometime in the first half of next year, we’ll see passage of legislation that will continue to unlock and create more tailwinds for the entire industry.”

Users on prediction markets also believe it’s unlikely that the Senate Banking Committee will approve a crypto market structure bill by 2026, giving odds just 25% in favor of its passage before the year ends.

Garlinghouse’s fellow panelists from major blockchain foundations and exchanges were not as bold in making price predictions: one said Bitcoin would be “above $100,000” by the end of next year, while another added that the price would be “stronger” than it is today.

Garlinghouse’s 2026 prediction comes as other prominent figures in the industry have made their own forecasts. Some previously foresaw Bitcoin hitting $150,000-$200,000 by year-end but have softened their positions, while others have maintained bold long-term predictions of $1 million per coin in the next four to eight years.

Bitcoin has rebounded over the last week, now up around 1% in that time to trade at $92,417. Market sentiment has shifted bullish, with prediction markets now favoring a jump to $100,000 before any potential pullback.

The largest crypto asset by market capitalization is now 27% off its all-time high. It will need to jump around 95% to top its current all-time high mark above $126,000 to reach Garlinghouse’s predicted target of $180,000.