Ben Cowen on Where Crypto is Going in 2026
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Is the crypto cycle already over? Ben Cowen returns to break down what a post-euphoria cycle looks like, why Bitcoin may have already topped, and how 2026 could play out across crypto, stocks, and macro. We explore the case for a prolonged bear market, why a true alt season may not arrive, and the narrow scenarios where Ethereum could still make a fleeting run at new highs. From Fed policy and labor markets to AI stealing investor attention, this episode maps the competing paths ahead and what patient investors should be watching next.
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:49 Bitcoin’s Cycle & its Implications
2:18 Ethereum’s Performance & Expectations
8:58 Future Predictions for Ethereum
10:39 Comparing Ethereum to Tesla
12:32 The State of the Altcoin Market
18:26 Disappointment & Hope for ETH Holders
20:23 Macro Factors Affecting Crypto
24:37 Why No Euphoria This Cycle?
32:56 The Shift of Investor Attention
37:56 The Future of Crypto Cycles
44:16 The Need for Utility in Crypto
56:14 Gold vs. Bitcoin: A Comparison
59:45 Bitcoin’s Unique Position in the Market
1:02:31 Patience and Strategy for Crypto Investors
1:06:01 Closing & Disclaimers
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RESOURCES
Ben Cowen
https://x.com/intocryptoverse
Ben’s Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@intothecryptoverse
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Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here:
https://www.bankless.com/disclosures
20 Comments
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Respect to Ben, but comparing Tesla price action to speculate on a future ETH move seems odd. I am also getting conflicting messages, he says ETH could break 5K in 2026 then says we're in a typical cycle. Then he says we're in a 2019 scenario, but earlier was stating how BTC followed the typical length of a bull run. My conclusion., Ben is in unchartered waters with no compass – very uncertain.
$NEFE is looking interesting 👀 With the ICO live and perks like staking and governance, it’s definitely worth checking out early.
Crazy all these opportunities coming out lately.. me and my friends are all in on Kvadun now
love ben, bankless is all gay though.
Well this depressed the shit out of me even more than I was before I watched 👍🏻
👍
This guy is a clown 🤡
Ben has been pushing the 4 year cycle theory.
It's in his best interest for the price to go lower now, despite what he says. Honestly I think he's compromised.
Ben always said that BTC leads, but ETH bottomed 6 months before BTC in 2022🤔
@pepogecom love how ideas actually flow in the T…….g voice chat, not just emojis 🎧
People are going to the usual thing the thing that is most comfortable for them to go to, which is gold and silver. They do not realize that they can be their own bank by owning their own bitcoin and putting it in their own private wallet.
I love that Ben keeps it real in 360p, standing true to the idea that you don't need fancy equipment and perfect editing to sneakily make everything devolve into a bitcoin dominance video…stay true to yourself Ben!
I definitely agree that we need utility in crypto. But at the present, it's pretty clear that the market doesn't seem to care much about utility. That said, I think we're going to see that shift into coming years as the market matures and we see more regulatory clarity.
Hard to take issue with Ben's data. He knows it inside and out. The question that matters is, will history repeat itself. We are only talking about a few cycles and Ben speaks as if there is an ironclad law like phenomenon taking place before our eyes. If there is any hint that the four year cycle no longer applies, we will have a tremendous upside in 2026. We shall see soon enough.
These ETH bags are HEAVY. Pray for Tom Lee.
Wow – Ben coming for Tom Lee re ETH treasuries
There are a few big differences now. The biggest one is Wall Street being involved . Th second biggest factor QE with lower interest rates. It’s always easy to track the past.
Trump ruined alt season
What is the likelihood that we bottom in May and rally to new highs by eoy 26? If we are following 2019 why wouldnt we go higher coming out of it like we did in 2020? Also if btc ends down on the year the likelihood of this scenario increases as btc has never had consecutive down years.