VanEck’s head of digital asset research, Matthew Siegel, believes Bitcoin is just getting started and will reach new all-time highs by next year.

Matthew Sigel noted that Bitcoin showed a similar trend as in past cycles, especially during the presidential election. According to his forecast, BTC will reach $180,000 by next year. The researcher explained this by the changing dynamics of the sentiments of regulators and politicians in the United States. The friendliness of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance is boosting Bitcoin’s popularity, Siegel said.

Interest in the first cryptocurrency is also growing from investment consultants who are ready to increase the share of Bitcoin in their portfolios – from 1% to 3%. This is also an important factor for supporting the Bitcoin rate, the VanEck top manager believes. In addition to the loyalty of politicians and institutional investors to the cryptocurrency, Siegel noted the stable interest in Bitcoin on the Internet, despite the fact that Google searches for Bitcoin are significantly lower during past peaks.

In addition, Siegel sees increased activity in the Bitcoin futures market. The strategist is confident that this dynamic will be maintained for a long period. According to Siegel, the BTC market remains in “price discovery mode,” which has historically set the stage for a sustained bull rally.

A VanEck top manager said that many crypto projects are planning to hold conferences in the United States for the first time in many years. Siegel called this a good sign for the American economy, in which Bitcoin could play an important role as an “international settlement currency.” Integrating BTC with artificial intelligence (AI) could prepare the financial system and society for the adoption of Bitcoin, Siegel concluded.

Previously, Siegel predicted the imminent launch of spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to the SOL cryptocurrency if the new US administration takes a “pro-crypto” approach.