Bitcoin [BTC] looks shaky right now, with more downside to be expected in the near-term. However, there’s more. The market is slowly changing how it treats Bitcoin, and that change will matter more than the next few red candles.
Bent, but not broken
BTC is on track to close Q4 down 19.15%. This is one of its weaker quarterly performances in recent years. The numbers back it up too – Short-term holders (STHs) are selling at a loss while market sentiment is in “extreme fear.” Meanwhile, ETF outflows are continuing to drain liquidity too.
Source: Cryptoquant
This is big pressure, coming from a market cooling after excess.
Indicators like Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) and Market Value to Realised Value (MVRV) indicated that capitulation is still playing out. This likely means another two to three months of sideways movement or freefall.
However, if you take a closer look, better days may be coming.
Bitcoin’s best days are ahead!
Source: Bitwise
Despite the prevailing climate, Bitwise has predicted that Bitcoin would break its traditional four-year cycle and push to new highs in 2026.
Their view is that factors like the halving, institutional adoption, and growing ETF demand are changing the way Bitcoin behaves.
Source: Bitwise
To add to the point, Bitcoin is getting less volatile. In 2025, it has already been less volatile than mammoths like Nvidia [NVIDIA], starting to act like a “mature” asset.
If that trend continues, this current weakness may end up looking like a transition into something better.
A sense of permanence
The long-term is about position, and Bitcoin is already standing among giants. Today, it sits comfortably in the top 10 global assets, alongside gold, Apple, and Microsoft.
That alone is a big sign of how far the asset has come.
Source: X
A decade from now, the conversation will most certainly be about where it ranks, rather than survival. Institutions are now treating it as a core holding, giving it loads of much needed credibility.
The cycles may come and go, but Bitcoin’s place on the global balance sheet looks increasingly permanent.
Final Thoughts
- Bitcoin’s -19% Q4 projection shows near-term weakness, but the only way to go is up.
- With top-10 global asset status, Bitcoin is evolving into a mature asset.
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