ChainThink report, on December 21, Maksim Balashevich, founder of cryptocurrency market analytics firm Santiment, stated that fear sentiment on social media has not yet reached sufficient levels to confirm a market bottom, and Bitcoin could still decline to around $75,000, implying approximately 14.77% further downside from current levels. Balashevich explained that many users remain optimistic about a short-term reversal in the downtrend, but such optimism typically does not materialize when the true market bottom forms.

On Thursday, Jurrien Timmer, Global Macro Research Head at Fidelity, said Bitcoin may "stagnate for a year" in 2026, with prices potentially falling to around $65,000. In contrast, Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, predicts 2026 will be a "bullish year" for Bitcoin.