Former BlockFi CEO Zac Prince Declares Bitcoin ’About to Rip,’ Forecasts New All-Time High for 2026
Get ready for liftoff. A major voice from crypto's recent past just fired the starting gun on the next bull run.
The Signal from the Sidelines
Zac Prince, who steered BlockFi through the last cycle's euphoria and subsequent storm, isn't whispering. He's projecting a roar. His call is direct: Bitcoin isn't just gearing up—it's "about to rip." This isn't vague optimism; it's a targeted prediction for a fresh record peak, with the clock set for 2026.
Timing the Tear
The forecast hinges on crypto's historical rhythm and converging macro tailwinds. Prince's timeline suggests the market is coiled at the end of its typical accumulation phase, primed for the explosive move that defines this asset class. It’s a bet on the halving cycle thesis playing out with precision, bypassing traditional economic indicators that still struggle to price digital scarcity.
Beyond the Hype Cycle
This isn't a blind rally cry. The prediction carries weight precisely because of the source's experience with both runaway growth and catastrophic collapse. It implies that the foundational infrastructure—regulatory clarity, institutional plumbing, and battered leverage—has finally rebuilt itself stronger. The market, in his view, has learned its lesson, even if a few Wall Street veterans are still trying to value Bitcoin using Excel models from 1998.
The Final Word
Prince's statement cuts through the noise. It sets a clear, audacious marker in the near future, challenging the prevailing narrative of gradual recovery. Whether it triggers a self-fulfilling prophecy or simply names an inevitable momentum shift, one thing is clear: the countdown to the next frenzy is officially on. Let's just hope this time the 'financial innovation' involves less reckless lending and more actual, you know, finance.
Zac Prince, former BlockFi CEO and current Head of Galaxy One, believes Bitcoin will hit a new all-time high in 2026. Speaking in a recent chat with John Gillen from Milk Road, Prince pointed to late 2025’s heavy bearish sentiment as a sign that things are about to turn around.
“I would make a prediction almost at the beginning of every year that bitcoin hits a new all-time high and I’d give it pretty good odds,” he said.
Prince described Bitcoin as a mix of store of value and a venture capital-style bet. He added that he follows a simple approach: set an allocation and stick with it rather than trade based on feelings.
Bearish Sentiment Usually Comes Before a Rally
Late 2025 felt very bearish across the board. But Prince sees that as a good thing, not a bad one.
“Anytime you start to see that sentiment… it could be the beginning of a signal that… it’s about to rip,” he explained.
He said he WOULD be “more surprised” by another rough year than by a strong one, given how low sentiment already is.
Retail Is Bored, But Institutions Keep Building
Prince noted that retail interest has drifted, but institutions are still expanding crypto infrastructure behind the scenes. Many traditional channels like wealth advisors and major platforms are still rolling out crypto access slowly.
He expects retail could wake up again once bonus season hits, Bitcoin crosses a major price level, or new institutional products start launching.
What Could Push Bitcoin Higher in 2026
Prince listed several factors for the year ahead: ETFs gaining wider distribution, younger generations inheriting wealth and preferring app-based finance, and a potentially easier Fed policy environment.
“The older people are going to pass away and pass the money down to younger people,” he noted.
He also expects stablecoin adoption to keep growing, more crypto ETFs to launch, and continued experimentation with tokenized real-world assets.
If the sentiment shift plays out like Prince expects, retail may find itself late to the party once again.
