21Shares Lowers 2026 Crypto Forecasts Amid Slow Growth

Asset manager 21Shares walked back several bullish 2026 forecasts in its midyear outlook, even as institutional adoption keeps strengthening. The firm says crypto infrastructure, ETFs, stablecoin rules, tokenization and prediction markets are maturing faster than prices themselves. Weak market conditions, DeFi exploits and slow enterprise adoption pushed multiple targets out of reach.

Bitcoin’s Cycle Still Holds

21Shares analysts say Bitcoin’s four-year cycle remains intact despite growing institutional ownership. After peaking near $126,000 in October 2025, Bitcoin pulled back hard, tracking prior post-halving patterns. Former 21Shares co-founder Ophelia Snyder recently noted institutional money has made crypto prices more sensitive to macro and geopolitical shifts.

ETFs And Prediction Markets Stand Out

Prediction markets are outperforming, with annual volume projected to top $100 billion. US spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $3 billion in outflows this year, but holdings still sit near 1.25 million BTC, an all-time high. Hyperliquid ETFs pulled in $150 million in under a month. The firm also flagged consolidation hitting smaller crypto treasury firms and weaker layer-2 networks.