Bitcoin’s ‘Godfather’ Says ‘No Way’ to 2026 ATH-But Who’s Counting?

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Markets

What to know:

  • Michael Terpin, an early bitcoin investor and often called the ‘Crypto Godfather,’ argues that bitcoin has not yet bottomed and predicts a low near $57,000 in October, with no new all-time high likely this year. (Spoiler: He’s probably wrong, but hey, who needs facts when you’ve got a title?)
  • His view contrasts with analysts who see February’s roughly $60,000 low as the start of a new bull run, citing strong ETF inflows and bitcoin’s resilience amid geopolitical tensions and higher oil prices. (Because nothing says “market confidence” like war and gas prices.)
  • Other analysts are split, with some warning that tight liquidity, high interest rates and the absence of full capitulation or extreme pessimism suggest further downside, while others say institutional adoption could still push bitcoin to a record high this year. (Because nothing says “investment strategy” like a 50/50 guess.)

Bitcoin has not reached its bottom yet, and a new all-time high is unlikely this year, said Michael Terpin, an early bitcoin investor and author of Bitcoin Supercycle: How the Crypto Calendar Can Make You Rich. (Note: The calendar is probably a metaphor. Or a very expensive planner.)

“Before a bull market for bitcoin can be called, the price needs to break back above $100,000 and no support anywhere near has manifested,” according to Terpin, who said the bottom will be seen at $57,000 sometime in October. (Because nothing says “expertise” like predicting a number that’s basically a guess with a fancy name.)

“Despite a double-digit gain thus far in April, we are very much still in a bitcoin fall.” (Yes, because nothing says “recovery” like a 10% bump in a market that’s basically a toddler’s tantrum.)

Terpin is often called ‘the crypto Godfather’ for his involvement in the industry around 2013, when the digital asset sector was still small and somewhat misunderstood by the mainstream. Among his many ventures, Terpin founded Transform Group, one of the first PR firms focused on blockchain companies, CoinAgenda, one of the first conferences in the space and BitAngels, a crypto angel investor group. (Because nothing says “visionary” like creating a conference for a niche hobby.)

His bearish view for this cycle stands in contrast to the consensus among analysts that the February low around $60,000 marked the end of the bear market and the beginning of a new bull run. Most of these bullish analysts cited renewed inflows into U.S.-listed spot ETFs and the token’s resilience during the Iran conflict and the oil price spike as part of their outlook. (Because nothing says “economic stability” like a war and a gas shortage.)

In an interview with CoinDesk, Terpin said that during Asian trading hours on Monday, “the psychological barrier of $80,000 was strongly rejected, with the high price of oil a factor.” He explained that this is typical at this stage of the bitcoin cycle, with lower highs being rejected until the final capitulation. (Because nothing says “technical analysis” like blaming oil prices on a cryptocurrency.)

While Jason Fernandes, a market analyst and co-founder of AdLunam, agrees with Terpin that the bottom has not yet been seen, he disagrees with the timeline, adding that the market may not have fully capitulated yet. Capitulation is a phase in which long-term holders exit in large numbers, signaling a peak in selling pressure. (Because nothing says “market health” like people panicking and selling everything.)

“Terpin makes a reasonable case for a later-cycle bottom, but I don’t believe bitcoin has fully capitulated yet,” Fernandes said. “Historically, durable bottoms tend to coincide with a clear exhaustion of both speculative leverage and macro uncertainty, and we’re definitely not there yet.” (Because nothing says “expert opinion” like a vague, circular argument.)

Terpin insisted that the fundamentals point more toward a bottom that includes the historical average of the one-year period from each cycle’s bottom.

“That indicates somewhere around $57,000,” he said, predicting that it will happen sometime in October, about the same timeline from last year when BTC first dipped below $100,000, followed by the October 10 crash, when $19 billion in leveraged positions were wiped out in the largest single-day event on record. (Because nothing says “predictive power” like repeating the same timeline as last year’s disaster.)

Fernandes added that broader macro conditions could continue to weigh on risk assets, including bitcoin.

“Liquidity conditions remain tight, and risk assets broadly are still adjusting to a higher-for-longer rate environment,” he said. “Until we see a more decisive shift in monetary policy or a true washout event in crypto markets, downside volatility remains likely.” (Because nothing says “economic insight” like a 50/50 guess about interest rates.)

‘Overly bearish’

The author and entrepreneur also said bitcoin will not see an all-time high (ATH) this year.

However, Mati Greenspan, a crypto market analyst and founder of Quantum Economics, disagrees.

“While I’m hesitant to ever disagree with the ‘Crypto Godfather,’ his take seems overly bearish to me,” Greenspan said. “We still have lots of room to run this year, given the level of institutional adoption and growing interest a new all-time-high (ATH) certainly seems plausible.” (Because nothing says “contrarian view” like agreeing with the guy who’s probably wrong.)

AdLunam’s Fernandes also said market sentiment has not yet reached the levels typically associated with cycle bottoms.

“Sentiment hasn’t reached the kind of extreme pessimism that typically marks cycle lows,” he said. “To me, that says we may still need one more leg down – whether or not it aligns exactly with the $57,000 to $59,000 range – before a sustainable base is formed.” (Because nothing says “market analysis” like a 50/50 guess about sentiment.)

Regarding Terpin’s $100,000 level, Fernandes said it serves more as a psychological signal than a strict technical threshold.

“A true bull market is defined by structural higher highs and strong capital inflows, not just a single price level,” he said. “That said, the psychological effects of hitting $100,000 could trigger exactly that behavior,” Fernandes added. (Because nothing says “market psychology” like a number that’s basically a guess with a fancy name.)

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2026-04-28 18:34