Expert Predicts Bitcoin to Trade Sideways in the Short Term with Optimistic Long-Term Outlook

Current State of the Cryptocurrency Market

According to a report by Coindesk, Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan stated in an interview that cryptocurrencies are in the late phase of a bear market. This phase, while volatile, lays a constructive foundation for future development.

Bitcoin's Performance

Despite most of 2025 seeing cryptocurrencies in a bear market, Bitcoin managed to avoid significant losses, largely due to continuous buying by institutions and ETFs. Hougan described the current situation as a 'tightening bottom,' marked by weak ETF inflows and low retail participation.

Future Outlook

Hougan predicts that Bitcoin will trade sideways between $75,000 and $100,000 during the first half of this year. This forecast provides investors with short-term market expectations.