Bitcoin's Last Quarter Push: Can It Hit $100,000?

Bitcoin's performance this year has been disappointing for investors, down nearly 30% in 2026. Despite this, there are two reasons why it could prove its doubters wrong and hit $100,000 by the end of the year.

One reason is that Bitcoin typically performs best in the final quarter of the year, delivering average returns of 77% and median returns of 48%. This means that even if it continues to trade in the $60,000 to $70,000 range over the next few months, it could easily clear the $100,000 price hurdle with a final year-end push.

The other factor that could lead to blowout gains for Bitcoin is the bursting of the artificial intelligence (AI) bubble. According to Arthur Hayes, this might be the only way to stop investors from obsessing over AI while neglecting Bitcoin. If the AI market is indeed overvalued and experiences a downturn, money could flood into the crypto market once again.