Ripple CEO: "Bitcoin will reach $180,000 in 2026"

Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, predicts that the price of Bitcoin will reach $180,000 by the end of 2026.

According to blockchain media, Garlinghouse shared this view during a panel discussion at a blockchain week event, alongside Lily Liu, Chair of the Solana Foundation, and the CEO of an exchange. He emphasized that increased regulatory clarity in the United States would have a positive impact on the cryptocurrency market. Lily Liu also predicted that Bitcoin could easily surpass $90,000 and even rise above $100,000.

Garlinghouse also expressed optimism about the growth of the cryptocurrency exchange-traded fund (ETF) market. Currently, cryptocurrencies make up only about 1–2% of the ETF market, but there is significant potential for expansion in the future.

The XRP spot ETF has shown remarkable performance, with over $800 million in inflows over the past 2–3 weeks. In contrast, the Bitcoin spot ETF saw only $8.48 million in weekly inflows, while the Ethereum fund experienced $79 million in outflows, and the Solana fund saw $13.55 million in outflows. Lily Liu commented, “The overall market is not showing the same trend,” explaining that some ETFs continue to maintain strong inflows.

Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market experienced a sharp drop in early October, leading to the liquidation of $20 billion in Bitcoin leverage positions, and the funding rates on major derivatives platforms turned negative. Bitcoin, after falling about 30% from its all-time high and then dropping another 8%, has recently rebounded to the $90,000 level. Garlinghouse observed that traders are moving assets into stablecoins instead of making aggressive bargain purchases, which he identified as an important signal reflecting current market sentiment.