This article is more than three months old

Bitcoin treasury president predicts price will top $150,000 next year. Here’s why

Bitcoin treasury president predicts price will top $150,000 next year. Here’s why
Markets
Investors are hopeful that 2026 will bring a more auspicious year for Bitcoin. Illustration: Andrés Tapia; Source: Shutterstock.
  • BSTR President Katherine Dowling expects Bitcoin to hit $150,000 by the end of 2026.
  • Three forces will drive the rally: regulation, quantitative easing, and institutional inflows.
  • Big banks are now actively recommending Bitcoin exposure for the first time.

While this year’s Bitcoin price action has left some investors unsatisfied, three forces will drive it to a higher ceiling in 2026.

That’s the call from Katherine Dowling, president of the Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company, who says a regulatory shift, quantitative easing, and institutional inflows will push bitcoin far higher despite the asset’s recent weakness.

“I am bullish on Bitcoin in 2026 despite the recent risk-off sentiment and price slide,” Dowling told DL News.

“Outside of the clear fundamentals, we also have the trifecta of a positive regulatory environment, quantitative easing and institutional inflows.”

Hello! This chart will be available in a few moments

Bitcoin has had an underwhelming final quarter of the year. Source: CoinGecko.

Her prediction? $150,000 by the end of 2026 — 70% increase from Bitcoin’s current price.

Dowling’s words breathe some respite into an asset that many are already placing in a hospice. Bitcoin has dropped over 25% from its October all-time highs, triggering fears that a bear market has already set in.

But she sees three structural catalysts converging to overwhelm Bitcoin’s short-term selling pressure.

Bitcoin treasures are companies that buy and hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets, allowing investors to get exposure to the top cryptocurrency via their shares on a stock exchange.

The trifecta

Dowling’s bullish case rests on three pillars working in tandem.

First, the regulatory environment in the US has to come together. The Genius Act provided clarity on stablecoins, but now the market structure legislation — dubbed the Clarity Act — has to get approved by the Senate.

Other government agencies are making life easier for crypto companies and products. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said US banks will be allowed to buy and sell cryptocurrencies on behalf of their customers.

Why crypto’s new hiring spree means tapping traditional finance for candidates
Regulator gives US banks the green light to act as crypto brokers
US banks will be able to buy and sell cryptocurrencies on...

Second, quantitative easing is finally back. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for a third time this year, and just two weeks earlier, formally ended quantitative tightening. Lower rates and improved liquidity conditions historically boost risk assets like Bitcoin.

Brian Huang, CEO of investment platform Glider, agrees that the macro backdrop is shifting.

“If we zoom out, the FED is lowering interest rates. That should bode well for risk assets like Bitcoin and ETH ETFs,” Huang told DL News.

“Expect Bitcoin to reach $150k before year’s [2026] end.”

Third, institutional inflows will continue despite the short-term volatility. Bitcoin ETFs attracted billions in 2025 — a trend that Dowling expects will accelerate as more platforms are granted access.

“Bitcoin ETFs will continue to see inflows and Bitcoin DATs will push through this current noise as well,” Dowling said.

Big banks

The cherry on top for Dowling is that big banks are starting to recommend Bitcoin exposure to their clients.

“It’s important to underscore the fact that we now have big banks actively recommending Bitcoin exposure and bringing Bitcoin products on their platforms,” she told DL News.

Ethereum treasuries collapse 80% as the trade unwinds, Bitwise warns
Ethereum treasuries collapse 80% as the trade unwinds, Bitwise warns
When companies began to buy Ether on behalf of their balance...

Dowling is referring to Bank of America, which recently told its advisers they had the green light to recommend Bitcoin ETFs.

That unlocks a $3.5 trillion pool of capital. Not a small amount.

Pedro Solimano is DL News’ Buenos Aires-based markets correspondent. Got a tip? Email him at psolimano@dlnews.com.