Crypto Blue Chips to Win in 2026, Says CoinEx Analyst
Altcoin rallies are expected to fade in the coming year, with liquidity mainly focusing on “blue chip” cryptocurrencies that demonstrate real-world adoption, according to CoinEx Research’s Jeff Ko. Ko predicts there will be no broad altseason, and only a few major tokens will benefit from incoming capital. He foresees modest global liquidity improvements by 2026, influenced by varied central bank policies, and notes Bitcoin’s correlation with money supply growth has weakened since the 2024 ETF launches. Ko projects Bitcoin could reach $180,000 by 2026. However, analyst Peter Brandt anticipates a longer bear market, with Bitcoin’s next peak not arriving until September 2029 and a potential 80% drawdown to $25,000 before the next cycle high. While Bitcoin often rallies in the fourth quarter, it is currently down over 22% this quarter, its second-worst Q4 in history. Despite this, historical patterns suggest such market resets can pave the way for stronger future conditions, but do not guarantee upside. Bitcoin is currently trading around $88,000, down 30% from its October all-time high.
