Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Predicts Bitcoin Will Hit $180,000 by End of 2026

Another day, another price target from crypto's C-suite. Ripple's Brad Garlinghouse just threw a new number into the ring—and it's a big one.

The Bullish Case

Forget incremental gains. Garlinghouse's forecast points to a near-tripling from current levels, banking on a perfect storm of institutional adoption and regulatory clarity finally cutting through the fog. It's the kind of prediction that makes headlines and gets retail investors buzzing—again.

The Institutional Engine

The real fuel for this run, according to the thesis, won't be your average crypto enthusiast. It'll be the slow-but-steady march of traditional finance giants finally building out their digital asset desks—a trend that's less about belief in decentralization and more about fear of missing out on a new revenue line.

The Skeptic's Corner

Let's be real. The crypto space has a graveyard of lofty predictions that never materialized. Relying on a CEO's public forecast for investment strategy is about as wise as taking stock tips from a corporate earnings call—usually, someone's trying to talk their book.

Whether this $180,000 mark hits or misses, one thing's certain: the prediction itself will generate more trading volume than most traditional IPOs this year. And in this market, sometimes the hype is just as valuable as the asset.

TLDR

• Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse predicts Bitcoin will reach $180,000 by the end of 2026
• Garlinghouse cites improving U.S. regulatory clarity and growing institutional adoption as key drivers
• Binance CEO Richard Teng expects higher prices but focuses on long-term growth without specific targets
• Solana Foundation President Lily Liu predicts Bitcoin will stay above $100,000
• Bitcoin currently trades around $93,000, down nearly 30% from its October record high above $126,000

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse made a price prediction for Bitcoin during a panel discussion at Binance Blockchain Week. He stated that Bitcoin will reach $180,000 by the end of 2026.

Brad Garlinghouse: "I'll say #Bitcoin to $180,000 by December 31st, 2026." pic.twitter.com/no9WsXT8as

— Altcoin Daily (@AltcoinDaily) December 3, 2025

Garlinghouse appeared alongside solana Foundation President Lily Liu and Binance CEO Richard Teng. The executives discussed Bitcoin’s price outlook and market conditions.

Bitcoin currently trades around $93,000. The cryptocurrency hit a record high above $126,000 two months ago in October.

Garlinghouse said he feels more optimistic about crypto’s future than he has in recent years. He pointed to improving regulatory clarity in the United States as a major factor.

The Ripple CEO noted that the U.S. accounts for 22% of global GDP. He said the country had been “openly hostile to crypto” for four or five years.

Institutional Adoption Drives Optimism

Garlinghouse highlighted changing attitudes among traditional financial institutions. He mentioned that Vanguard recently opened up to crypto after previously refusing to touch digital assets.

He also pointed to growing crypto ETF adoption. Currently, only 1% to 2% of the total ETF market consists of crypto products.

Garlinghouse expects this percentage to grow over the next year. He said institutions are starting small but will gradually increase their involvement.

The Ripple CEO described the process as institutions learning to “crawl, then walk, then run.” He dismissed concerns that recent volatility has scared off institutional investors.

Market Conditions and Price Volatility

Bitcoin dropped nearly 8% earlier in the week before recovering above $90,000. The cryptocurrency remains about 30% below its all-time high from October.

Roughly $20 billion in Leveraged positions were liquidated during the recent price decline. Funding rates in perpetual futures markets turned negative during the selloff.

Binance CEO Richard Teng did not provide a specific price target. He said he expects bitcoin prices to be higher while focusing on long-term growth rather than short-term volatility.

Solana Foundation President Lily Liu offered a more conservative forecast. She expects Bitcoin prices to remain above $100,000.

Liu described the recent pullback as a normal correction after a liquidity-driven rally. She said irrational moves upward typically lead to corrections.

Garlinghouse acknowledged that crypto markets MOVE through cycles. He said the current moment represents a “risk-off” period after an excited “risk-on” phase.

The Ripple CEO emphasized that the industry is shifting from speculation to real-world applications. He said new, easier-to-use applications are helping crypto solve practical problems rather than just serving as speculation vehicles.