Why 2026 Could Bring A Bear Market

Is the crypto bull run over? In this episode of Markets Outlook, Markus Thielen, founder of 10x Research, joins CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie, to discuss why we might be heading into a bear market in 2026. Thielen argues that US stocks historically perform poorly during midterm election cycles. Combining this historical trend with the "institutional fatigue" visible in recent ETF outflows, he breaks down the data suggesting a potential 60% correction is on the horizon. We also discuss the recent shift in "Whale" accumulation behavior and why the "digital gold" narrative is currently struggling to keep pace with physical gold performance. - Timestamps: 01:43 - Reflecting on 2025: Major Events and Trends 02:51 - Whale Accumulation and Market Dynamics 06:08 - When Will Institutional Investors Come Back to Crypto? 08:26 - Altcoin ETF Hype vs. Reality 09:24 - Bitcoin as Digital Gold Narrative 13:28 - BTC Price Prediction for End of 2025 14:20 - ETH Price Prediction for End of 2025 16:56 - BTC 2026 EOY Projection 20:37 - What Will Be the Biggest Catalyst for the Crypto Markets? - Break the cycle of exploitation. Break down the barriers to truth. Break into the next generation of privacy. Break Free. Free to scroll without being monetized. Free from censorship. Freedom without fear. We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design. Break free with Midnight, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠midnight.network/break-free⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Need liquidity without selling your crypto? Take out a Figure Crypto-Backed Loan, allowing you to borrow against your BTC, ETH, or SOL with 12-month terms and no prepayment penalties. They have the lowest rates in the industry at 8.91%, allowing you to access instant cash or buy more Bitcoin without triggering a tax event. Unlock your crypto’s potential today at Figure! https://figuremarkets.co/coindesk - #cryptocurrency #digitalfinance #finance #bitcoin #crypto Subscribe to CoinDesk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CoinDesk?sub_confirmation=1 CoinDesk is the leading digital media, events and information services company for the crypto asset and blockchain technology community. Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/coindesk LinkedIn: https://www.din.com/company/coindesk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coindesk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoinDesk Newsletters: https://www.coindesk.com/newsletters CoinDesk Podcast Network: https://open.spotify.com/show/2jyIhkvAQhed8AWDZiPpSP Markets Daily Crypto Roundup: https://open.spotify.com/show/7sDXM8BlxsUqzL2IqmLqwE