Bitcoin’s
performance over the next decade is likely to be stable but not dramatic, according to Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise.
Speaking with CNBC on December 26, Hougan explained that Bitcoin’s long-term trend should remain positive, though large yearly jumps are less likely.
He said, “I think we’re in a 10-year grind upward of strong returns. It’s not spectacular returns, [but] strong returns, lower volatility, some up and down”.
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Hougan expects 2026 to be another positive year for Bitcoin. He added, “I think next year will be up”.
He also noted that Bitcoin’s current decline of about 30% is much smaller than the 60% drops seen in earlier cycles. Hougan attributed this to “persistent, slow-moving institutional buying”, which he said helps reduce the scale of market pullbacks.
At the start of 2025, Bitcoin climbed to new highs near $109,000 after Donald Trump was sworn in as US president. Many investors saw the event as a short-term boost for the asset.
However, Hougan does not believe the new administration will have much more influence on Bitcoin’s price going forward.
He said, “There’s not much more they can marginally do for Bitcoin”, and added that most of the benefits from clearer regulations are already reflected in the market.
A new comparison by analyst and author Adam Livingston showed that Bitcoin’s growth over the past decade has far exceeded that of gold and silver. What did he say? Read the full story.
