Some see signs of a bear market, while others spot growth potential.
The price of digital gold is expected to plummet to between $35,000 and $44,000 by 2026. According to an expert known as Crypto Patel, the crypto market has entered a bearish phase.
UNPOPULAR OPINION: Bitcoin is Heading to $44K-$35K in 2026.
ā Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) February 25, 2026
Here's Why I'm NOT Bullish Right Now š
Bitcoin broke down below the $107K HTF trendline support, that was the line in the sand.
We've officially entered bearish territory.
The market NEEDS a healthy correction beforeā¦ pic.twitter.com/eXMEZyRwOD
The shift in trend was triggered by a breach of the long-term support line at $107,000, which the analyst deemed a critical threshold for the asset.
Crypto Patel calculated the targets for the price drop using Fibonacci levels:
- The 0.5 level is around $44,000;
- The 0.618 level aligns with $35,000.
According to the analyst, significant capital tends to accumulate at these levels. A deep correction is necessary for Bitcoin to continue healthy growth and reach new all-time highs.
He referenced the history of previous market cycles, noting that before each major rally, the first cryptocurrency experienced a significant decline. In 2018, Bitcoin fell by 84%, and in 2022, it dropped by 77%. Crypto Patel is confident that before the next growth phase, the price will inevitably fall below $50,000.
Growth to $80,000
On February 25, Bitcoin's price reached $70,000. The main driver of this increase was significant inflows into spot ETFs.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $68,203, slightly above the 200-week exponential moving average (EMA) at approximately $68,330.
15-minute BTC/USDT chart from Binance. Source: TradingView.Analyst Rekt Capital considers this zone crucial. He believes the asset needs to close the week above the EMA and turn that line into support. Otherwise, the current rebound may just be a typical retest before a decline.
#BTC
ā Rekt Capital (@rektcapital) February 25, 2026
Bitcoin has indeed Weekly Closed below the 200-week EMA (black)
And now Bitcoin is enjoying a recovery which could turn into a post-breakdown retest of the EMA into new resistance (red circles), if history is any indication
The 200-week EMA (black) represents the priceā¦ https://t.co/1cOGC5MUyd pic.twitter.com/YTSAA7GxF0
Trader Jelle added that on the four-hour chart, it is also crucial for Bitcoin to hold the 50 EMA (around $68,000).
The first real strength on $BTC since prices were over $90k.
ā Jelle (@CryptoJelleNL) February 25, 2026
Let's see if price can turn the 4h 50ema into support here.
Stick to the plan. pic.twitter.com/fkzclQHxND
If buyers surpass the 20-day moving average ($69,220), the price could head towards $74,508.
Liquidity and the Path to $80,000
CoinGlass reported a significant accumulation of sell orders in the $72,450-$75,000 range, with a total short position volume of about $2 billion.
Source: CoinGlass.A breakout above $75,000 would trigger a cascade of liquidations, forcing sellers to close positions urgently and pushing prices towards $80,000.
Analysts at AlphaBTC expect these levels to be reached in the coming weeks, noting that the targeted liquidity collection by major players has only just begun.
#Bitcoin liquidity hunt šÆ
ā AlphaBTC (@mark_cullen) February 26, 2026
It has only just started! Unless there is a catalyst to drop (i.e. Trump and Iranā¦), I am expecting these higher levels to get run in the next few weeks.#Crypto #BTC https://t.co/yKPB1p1BZa pic.twitter.com/hZbMe055jP
The price increase is supported by demand from institutional investors. According to Farside Investors, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded capital inflows for two consecutive days.
Source: Farside Investors.On February 24, funds received $764 million, and on February 25, products attracted $506.6 millionāthe highest daily figure since February 2.
Average Loss for Short-Term Bitcoin Investors
Analyst Darkfost characterized the current market situation with the phrase: "A falling tree makes more noise than a growing forest." This highlights that amid a global positive trend, local issues and the panic of short-term investors are drawing maximum attention.
āA falling tree makes more noise than a growing forest.ā
ā Darkfost (@Darkfost_Coc) February 26, 2026
Iām starting this post with a bit of philosophy because the past few weeks have been dominated by noise.
š In times like these, taking a step back and looking at how far weāve come is a useful exercise.
When you zoomā¦ pic.twitter.com/Cf3k8D81xN
Due to the corrections in recent months, recent buyers are facing significant losses. The analyst estimates that the average purchase price (realized price) for traders holding coins for one to three months is around $90,000. With Bitcoin currently trading near $68,000, this category of holders is experiencing an unrealized loss of 24%.
For short-term investors, Darkfost identified key ranges of deviation from the realized price. The maximum level is at $153,000, the upper limit is $126,000, the lower limit is estimated at $79,000, and the minimum is $56,000. These levels serve as important areas of interest for short-term players, who typically react most emotionally to sharp price fluctuations.
The analyst noted that in the current cycle, Bitcoin often entered corrections right after reaching the maximum range. It will take some time before recent investors return to a comfortable profit zone, the expert concluded.
Recall that on February 24, an expert under the pseudonym On-Chain Mind predicted a drop in the first cryptocurrency to $35,000 following the Nasdaq crash.