He Called $150K Bitcoin for 2026. He’s Still Not Backing Down

Bitcoin is bleeding. Crypto sentiment is terrible. AI has stolen the spotlight. So why are institutions still moving deeper into crypto? In this interview, taken at EthConf in New York, Chris Perkins, Franklin Templeton's Head of Franklin Crypto, explains why the market may be stronger than it looks — and why bad sentiment, improving fundamentals, and growing institutional interest could be setting up one of the most important moments for crypto in 2026. We discuss why Franklin Templeton is building Franklin Crypto, what traditional finance still doesn’t understand about tokens, and why tokenization could push markets toward a 24/7 global trading structure. Chris also explains why AI may be competing with crypto for capital right now — but could eventually become one of crypto’s biggest users. He breaks down why DeFi is hardening, why AI agents may need permissionless financial rails, and why one major catalyst could shift the market fast. And yes — we revisit his $150K Bitcoin prediction. Is it still possible with half the year gone? What role could the Clarity Act play? Could the U.S. government eventually treat crypto as a national security asset? And why are prediction markets, NFTs, and memecoins not as dead — or as silly — as many people think? If you want to understand what institutional crypto investors are watching while retail sentiment is low, this conversation is worth your time. Not financial advice. 00:00 — Crypto Feels Terrible. Chris Perkins Says the Setup Is Stronger Than It Looks 00:52 — The $150K Bitcoin Prediction Comes Back 01:41 — One Catalyst Could Flip the Crypto Market 02:25 — Could Crypto Become a U.S. National Security Asset? 03:21 — Bitcoin Is Red, S&P Is at Highs — What’s Going On? 04:45 — Why AI Could Actually Make DeFi Stronger 05:35 — What TradFi Still Doesn’t Understand About Crypto 06:25 — Tokens, Stocks, and the Wrapper Nobody Talks About 07:05 — Why Tokenization Could Turn Markets Into 24/7 Global Systems 08:03 — Why Franklin Templeton Is Building Deeper Into Crypto 09:56 — Why Memecoins May Have Helped Solana Scale 11:34 — What to Watch for the Rest of 2026 #Bitcoin #crypto #news Follow COINTELEGRAPH: Website: https://cointelegraph.com/ Telegram: https://t.me/cointelegraph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cointelegraph Twitter: https://twitter.com/cointelegraph Mobile app: https://linktr.ee/cointelegraph_mobile Cointelegraph covers everything Bitcoin, bringing you the latest news, prices, breakthroughs, and analysis, with emphasis on expert opinion and commentary from the digital currency community.