Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction: Analysts Make Bold Prediction for 2026

By Afe Funbi

Key highlights:

  • Bitcoin is still trading in a tight range as analysts look at the structure rather than the price.
  • Projections for the year 2026 are emerging as BTC stabilizes following a positive multi-year period..
  • Key support and resistance levels are still doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to Bitcoin’s next move.

Bitcoin isn’t doing much right now, and that’s exactly why this phase stands out. The BTC price has been stuck in a narrow range, drifting back and forth and leaving both bulls and bears equally frustrated. 

For short-term traders, this kind of market feels like dead time. But when you step back and look at Bitcoin more broadly, this kind of behavior is familiar. Long stretches of compression usually show up when the market is resetting, not when it’s falling apart. 

BTC is trapped in a tight range as pressure builds

On lower timeframes, Bitcoin is clearly boxed in. The price keeps making lower highs while higher lows continue to form underneath, tightening its range with each trading session. There has been a decline in volatility with flattened momentum.

DonOfCharts observed that this type of compression is usually not a permanent feature. It is highly unlikely for markets to maintain such a compressed range for an extended period. The longer Bitcoin trades sideways, the stronger the thrust becomes for a clear breakout.

Currently, neither side has an advantage. Buyers materialize during dips, and sellers emerge when the price is near the area of resistance, and just keeps rebounding to the middle of the range. It’s this deadlock that provides the tension on the chart.

The Bitcoin zone still sets the tone

Ted Pillows summed it up simply. The price of Bitcoin is still trading in the range of $88,000 to $90,000, and this range is still dictating the market.

All attempts at breaking above $90,000 have failed so far. Conversely, any retests of the upper $80,000 levels continue to attract buyers. This back-and-forth has kept price stuck, but it’s also allowed leverage to cool down and speculative positions to unwind.

Ted also noted that the yearly candle will likely close in red. That sounds bearish at first glance, but context matters. A red yearly close after a massive multi-year run doesn’t automatically signal weakness. Often, it reflects consolidation rather than a trend change.

Zooming out shows BTC support zones still holding

When you step back to the weekly chart, Bitcoin’s structure looks far less concerning. The broader trend channel that has been shaping the price action since 2023 has held up. Even after recent pullbacks and periods of sideways movement, Bitcoin remains well above trend support.

Some of the longer-term charts making the rounds indicate a scenario where Bitcoin continues respecting this channel before eventually pushing higher again. In that context, the current range looks more like a pause than a failure.

Bitcoin has historically seen long periods of sideways action following substantial hikes. Such a phase can be frustrating to witness, but many such periods have culminated in continuation instead of a crash.

On the downside, key support levels continue to hold. Areas around the mid-$80,000s have been tested multiple times, and each time buyers have stepped in before things turned ugly.

That doesn’t mean downside risk is off the table. If the Bitcoin price were to lose these supports with conviction and volume, the picture would change quickly. But so far, the market hasn’t shown that kind of urgency.

Instead, price action indicates absorption. Sellers push the BTC price lower, buyers absorb the pressure, and the market stabilizes again. That behavior doesn’t line up with panic selling.

Why this Bitcoin phase feels uncomfortable heading into 2026

One reason this range feels so draining is that conviction is fading on both sides. Bulls expected a clean continuation higher. Bears hoped for a deeper correction. Neither has gotten what they wanted.

Sideways markets do this by design. They drain attention, flatten narratives, and wear traders down. Volume fades, excitement disappears, and many people simply stop paying attention.

Ironically, that loss of interest often shows up late in consolidation phases, not early ones. Bitcoin has a habit of moving when expectations are low, not when everyone is leaning the same way.

Although the short-term market trends are uncertain, the longer-term forecast remains optimistic. The Crypto GEMs recently projected that the price of Bitcoin may peak at $210,000 by the year 2026. 

Although this forecast appears ambitious, this can actually fall well within the typical cycle if Bitcoin remains on track. This is where timeframe matters. A boring, range-bound market today doesn’t invalidate a bullish outlook for next year. 

The market always progresses in stages, with phases of consolidation acting as a bridge between trends. If Bitcoin is able to hold to its form, this level may be looked back upon as a basis, and not a break.

What’s next for Bitcoin?

For now, confirmation still comes from the BTC price. A clean break above $90,000 with follow-through would shift momentum back toward the upside and bring higher levels into focus. On the downside, losing support in the mid-$80,000s would indicate Bitcoin needs more time to rebuild.

CoinCodex’s 3-month Bitcoin price prediction points to around $103,256, but the chart is still the main thing to watch. A real change only happens if BTC breaks above $90,000 and holds, while losing support would mean Bitcoin likely needs more time before making its next move.

Until one of those levels breaks, patience matters more than prediction. Bitcoin is compressing, not collapsing. The lack of excitement feels uncomfortable, but it’s also consistent with past pre-move phases.

Bitcoin isn’t doing anything dramatic right now. The price is stuck, volatility is low, and conviction is fading. But structurally, the market still looks intact. Whether the next move comes sooner or later, this range is unlikely to last forever.

Source:: Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction: Analysts Make Bold Prediction for 2026

Updated: December 31, 2025 at 12:55 pm
Tags: