Hoskinson Says Bitcoin Could Reach $250K in 2026; Altcoins May Decouple via DeFi Bridges
Cardano co‑founder Charles Hoskinson told Altcoin Daily he expects Bitcoin (BTC) could reach roughly $250,000 in 2026, driven by ongoing institutional demand. He argues the critical missing ingredient is a non‑custodial mechanism for large BTC holdings to access DeFi — specifically non‑custodial credit systems that let BTC be lent to obtain stablecoins which can be deployed for yield. If yields exceed borrowing costs, BTC holders could earn passive returns without surrendering custody, enabling trillions in stored Bitcoin value to flow into altcoins over time. Hoskinson contrasted Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL), saying ETH’s scale makes it slower to change while SOL’s tighter leadership and agility could favour faster growth. He also highlighted Cardano (ADA) and Midnight (Cardano partner chain), noting Cardano’s research‑driven infrastructure focus and Midnight’s potential as a fourth‑generation design with room to grow. Key points for traders: BTC price target ($250K), current BTC trading below $90K at time of report, pathway for capital to move from BTC into altcoins via non‑custodial DeFi credit, and relative ecosystem strengths of ETH, SOL, ADA and Midnight.
Bullish
Hoskinson’s forecast and thesis are net bullish for crypto markets, particularly BTC and altcoins. The $250K BTC target, backed by institutional demand, signals strong upside expectations which can drive speculative and institutional positioning. More importantly, his explanation of a non‑custodial bridge into DeFi presents a plausible structural pathway for long‑term capital rotation: if reliable non‑custodial credit products enable BTC holders to obtain stablecoins and earn yield without giving up custody, large BTC stakes could be incrementally deployed into DeFi and then into altcoins. Historically, improvements that increase capital composability (e.g., tokenized BTC like WBTC, wrapped solutions, or liquid staking derivatives) have coincided with greater on‑chain activity and altcoin rallies. Short term, the statement may boost BTC sentiment and increase volatility as traders price in higher targets; altcoins tied to DeFi infrastructure, Solana and Cardano ecosystems, or projects building BTC non‑custodial rails could see speculative inflows. Long term, the development of secure non‑custodial credit markets would be bullish for overall market capitalization and for altcoin market share, as it lowers custody friction and unlocks stored BTC liquidity. Risks: the timeline and technical/regulatory hurdles for safe non‑custodial credit systems are uncertain; failure to deliver such infrastructure or adverse regulation could mute the bullish thesis. Overall, likelihood of positive market impact is higher if concrete products and adoption milestones follow Hoskinson’s framework.