Given the recent price performance of Bitcoin (BTC 0.58%), it's not surprising that prediction market traders are remarkably bearish on this cryptocurrency's future prospects. Right now, they are giving Bitcoin only a 5% chance (as of March 5) of hitting $150,000 by the end of June.
On the surface, that makes sense. After all, Bitcoin is down more than 40% from its all-time high of $126,000 just a few months ago. At a current price of $71,000, Bitcoin would need to more than double to hit the $150,000 mark. Despite all that, there's reason to be optimistic about Bitcoin in 2026.
What do options traders think?
Prediction markets offer useful data and can be used to help estimate the statistical probability of any real-world event actually happening. Yet, there's arguably better data coming from the Bitcoin derivatives market, where Wall Street traders are making big bets on the future price of Bitcoin.
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There, the sentiment appears to be much more bullish on Bitcoin. Take the Bitcoin options market, for example. Traders appear to be aggressively positioning for a price surge by the end of March. Options traders are buying March 27 expiry Bitcoin call options with strike prices of $80,000 and $90,000.
If Bitcoin can get to the $90,000 level within the next 30 days, the outlook for 2026 will change dramatically. Most likely, the odds of Bitcoin hitting a price target of $150,000 by the end of June will spike accordingly, and the narrative will shift. Investors will start talking about a potential rebound for the world's largest cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin historical data
It's also worth taking a peek at historical data for Bitcoin. Historically, the cryptocurrency has averaged a 27% gain in Q2. That includes a rise of 30% last year, when Bitcoin also turned in a stinker of a quarter at the start of the year.
CRYPTO: BTC
Key Data Points
Moreover, if you dig into the month-by-month data, there's also a glimmer of hope. Historically, Bitcoin has averaged a gain of 11% in March, 14% in April, and 8% in May.
Admittedly, that might not be enough to get Bitcoin to the $150,000 price level by the end of June. But just do the math. If Bitcoin can follow its typical trajectory during the next three months, a price of $90,000 is firmly within reach.
That might explain why options traders are positioning for the same type of price move. To use an analogy, Bitcoin is potentially a coiled spring just waiting to bounce back.
Should you bet against Bitcoin?
Although I'm increasingly bullish on Bitcoin for the long haul, it's highly improbable that Bitcoin can make its way to the $150,000 price level by midyear. In fact, Bitcoin might even have a tough time climbing back to the $100,000 price level by then.
If you are thinking about buying Bitcoin now, you must adopt a long-term, buy-and-hold mindset. During the past decade, Bitcoin has been one of the top-performing assets in the world, and I expect a similar performance in the next decade.
