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Bitcoin won’t crack $100,000 in 2026. That’s what 44% of crypto users think, per a new BITmarkets survey that polled nearly 2,000 people across 58 countries. The mood’s shifted pretty hard since late 2024, when most traders were calling for $200,000 by now.
The numbers tell a clearer story than the hype did. BITmarkets asked 1,934 participants what they expect from Bitcoin’s price action through the rest of 2026. Just 31% think the coin will push past $100,000 but stay below last year’s peak of around $126,000. Another 24% remain bullish enough to bet on a new all-time high. But the largest chunk—those 44%—don’t see six figures happening at all.
What Changed Since December
Rewind to December 2024. Back then, 58% of survey respondents were confident Bitcoin would hit or beat $200,000 in 2025. That confidence evaporated fast. Bitcoin did surge to roughly $126,000 in October 2025, setting a record that still stands today. Then it fell. Hard.
Now the coin hovers around $70,000, stuck in a range that’s frustrated bulls and bored most retail traders. The stagnation came despite—or maybe because of—ongoing geopolitical mess and financial market turbulence that usually sends people hunting for alternative assets. Bitcoin didn’t act like the safe haven some expected.
Ali Daylami works as Head of Data Analytics at BITmarkets. He sees the cooling sentiment as a natural correction after the October peak. “Bitcoin’s value is driven more by its internal supply and demand dynamics than by external factors alone,” Daylami said. He didn’t elaborate on what those internal dynamics look like right now, but the price action suggests demand isn’t keeping pace with the narratives that fueled 2025’s rally.
The survey’s geographic spread matters. Participants came from 58 countries, so this isn’t just American retail traders or Asian whales skewing results. It’s a broad cross-section of the global crypto community, and they’re collectively pumping the brakes on expectations.
Platform Security Gets the Spotlight
BITmarkets runs a cryptocurrency exchange offering trades in over 200 different coins. The platform supports 14 languages and puts 99.9% of client funds into cold storage—meaning offline wallets that hackers can’t touch remotely. That’s become a selling point as exchanges face ongoing scrutiny over security practices.
The company positions itself for both retail day traders and institutional clients looking to allocate capital into digital assets. BITmarkets provides daily market updates and educational resources, trying to bridge the gap between crypto’s wild-west reputation and the kind of infrastructure traditional finance expects.
Cold storage emphasis isn’t just marketing talk. After multiple exchange hacks over the years wiped out billions in user funds, platforms that can prove they’re keeping assets offline have a competitive edge. BITmarkets leans into that advantage.
The exchange didn’t offer predictions beyond what the survey data shows. No comment on whether they think Bitcoin will prove the pessimists wrong or validate the bears. Smart move, probably—exchange platforms that make price calls often regret it when markets move the other way.
Supply and Demand Versus Everything Else
Daylami’s point about internal dynamics versus external factors cuts to an ongoing debate in crypto circles. Does Bitcoin react to macro events—inflation data, central bank policy, geopolitical crises—or does it mostly trade based on its own supply schedule and speculative demand cycles?
The 2026 price action so far suggests the latter. Global markets have seen plenty of volatility this year. Bitcoin’s response? Kind of muted. It’s trading in a range, not spiking on every news headline like it did during previous bull runs.
That behavior shift might explain why sentiment cooled. Traders who bought the “digital gold” narrative expected Bitcoin to rally when traditional markets got shaky. Instead, the coin’s been grinding sideways while stocks and bonds do their own thing. The correlation broke down, and so did some of the bullish thesis.
The survey results capture that disillusionment. When 44% of users don’t expect $100,000 this year, they’re basically saying the momentum’s gone. Bitcoin needs a new catalyst—maybe regulatory clarity, maybe institutional adoption at scale, maybe just time for the supply dynamics to tighten enough that demand can push prices higher again.
BITmarkets keeps adding cryptocurrencies to its platform and expanding language support, betting that the long-term trend still points toward broader adoption. The short-term price pessimism doesn’t seem to have changed the company’s strategy around accessibility and security. They’re playing the long game while their users navigate the choppy present.
The contrast between December 2024’s optimism and today’s caution is pretty stark. Expectations dropped from $200,000 targets to debates about whether $100,000 is even realistic. That’s the kind of sentiment whiplash that defines crypto markets—fast moves up, fast moves down, and even faster changes in what people think comes next.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people participated in the BITmarkets Bitcoin survey?
The survey included 1,934 respondents from 58 countries worldwide, providing a broad international perspective on Bitcoin price expectations.
What was Bitcoin’s all-time high price mentioned in the survey?
Bitcoin reached an all-time high of approximately $126,000 in October 2025, according to the survey data.
What percentage of cold storage does BITmarkets use for client funds?
BITmarkets holds 99.9% of client funds in cold storage to protect assets from online security threats.
