Ripple CEO Predicts $180K Bitcoin by 2026; Binance and Solana Executives See a Different Future

Ripple's CEO just threw a grenade into the crypto prediction pool. He's calling for Bitcoin to hit a staggering $180,000 by the end of 2026. That's not just a new all-time high—it's a moonshot that would redefine the asset class.

The Bull Case: A Perfect Storm

The argument hinges on a convergence of forces: institutional adoption finally moving beyond talk, regulatory frameworks maturing (slowly), and Bitcoin's core narrative as digital gold gaining mainstream traction. Proponents see a supply shock meeting a tidal wave of new demand.

The Skeptical Corner: Binance and Solana Weigh In

Not everyone's buying the hype. Key figures from Binance and Solana offered more tempered, divergent outlooks. Their focus shifted to ecosystem growth, utility, and scaling challenges rather than a single price target for BTC. It's a classic clash of macro-store-of-value versus practical blockchain utility.

Navigating the Noise

For investors, it's a reminder that predictions are just that—educated guesses in a notoriously volatile market. One exec's visionary forecast is another's marketing slide. As always in finance, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is—unless this time it's not, in which case you'll wish you'd listened. The only certainty is more volatility ahead.

Solana’s Lily Liu With A More Conservative Bitcoin Price Forecast

The Binance Blockchain Week offered other industry leaders on the panel the chance to venture their bitcoin price predictions.

Binance CEO Richard Teng declined to provide a specific price target. He emphasized the importance of long-term fundamentals over short-term price movements.

Solana Foundation President Lily Liu gave a more measured forecast, predicting bitcoin would trade above $100,000 by the end of 2026.

Garlinghouse attributed his bullish stance to improving regulatory clarity in the U.S. and the accelerating entry of major financial institutions like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton into the digital asset market.

The differing forecasts from leaders of three major crypto organizations highlight ongoing uncertainty about the valuations of digital assets. This conversation took place as the market dealt with a significant deleveraging event, where recent volatility eliminated billions in Leveraged positions.