Senior strategists from leading cryptocurrency exchanges have outlined a future where Bitcoin's traditional boom-bust cycles are ending, replaced by institutional stability and growing bipartisan political support. Coinbase's senior strategist, John D'Agostino, declared that the era of market "skepticism" is over, with Bitcoin and blockchain technology now cemented as permanent fixtures in the global financial system.
D'Agostino, appearing on CNBC, highlighted a significant shift in market sentiment. He noted that for much of 2025, a gap existed between strong corporate and regulatory momentum and negative individual investor sentiment, largely driven by ETF outflows and volatility. "Now we are seeing individual sentiment catching up with corporate momentum," he stated, pointing to approximately $520 million in ETF inflows over the previous seven days as evidence of this convergence.
Emphasizing Bitcoin's role as an inflation hedge, D'Agostino provided a stark comparison: over the last decade, gold gained 260%, the S&P 500 rose 300%, while Bitcoin's value increased by more than 11,000%. He contrasted this with the U.S. dollar's purchasing power, which fell by a third in the same period. D'Agostino also underscored Bitcoin's practical utility, citing its use in economies with unstable local currencies like Venezuela and its acceptance at tens of thousands of merchant locations.
Separately, Patrick Liou, Director of Institutional at Gemini, released five key predictions for the crypto industry in 2026, focusing on structural market changes. Liou argues that Bitcoin's traditional four-year cycle is ending due to maturing institutional infrastructure, including ETF products, derivatives trading, and custody services. These tools have absorbed supply shocks that once caused extreme volatility, with Bitcoin now trading more like a macro asset tied to liquidity conditions rather than being driven primarily by halving events.
On the political front, Liou expects crypto to become a bipartisan issue ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. While Republicans initially led crypto voter outreach, Democrats are increasing engagement as legislation like the CLARITY Act progresses in Congress. Crypto policy has emerged as a campaign topic in key swing states including Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan.
Liou's other forecasts include major growth for crypto-powered prediction markets like Polymarket, consolidation among digital asset treasury companies (noting MicroStrategy's stock dropped 60% in Q4 2025), and the prediction that at least one nation-state will sell part of its gold reserves to purchase Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset in 2026.
