This Top Cryptocurrency Could Soar 135% By the End of the Year, According to Wall Street Investment Firm Bernstein

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is down 50% from its lofty high of $126,000. But that's not stopping top investment firms and Wall Street analysts from issuing bullish price targets for the world's leading cryptocurrency.

Case in point: Wall Street investment firm Bernstein is doubling down on its $150,000 price target for Bitcoin. If Bernstein is right, that would represent a stunning 135% price increase over a relatively short period. But just how likely is that?

Two potential catalysts for Bitcoin

Bernstein points to two primary catalysts for Bitcoin over the next six months. Combined, these two catalysts could catapult Bitcoin to new gains.

The first is greater expected regulatory clarity for the digital asset and crypto space. This rests primarily on the assumption that the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act ("Clarity Act") will finally be signed into law this year. That looked like a slam-dunk assumption at the start of the year, but current odds of that happening have now dropped to 45%, according to the Polymarket online prediction market.

In theory, passage of this legislation would lead to a rapid uptick in institutional adoption of all things crypto. It would make it easier for corporations and banks to hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets and open the door to additional use cases for the Bitcoin blockchain.

Image source: Getty Images.

The second catalyst is continued buying by the biggest Bitcoin treasury companies. This buying should offset any outflows from the spot Bitcoin ETFs, and could help to maintain a steady floor under the price of Bitcoin.

The only problem here, of course, is that Bitcoin juggernaut Strategy has run into problems lately, and is now resetting its approach to Bitcoin. However, as Bernstein points out, even as Strategy sells some of its Bitcoin, it is likely to remain a net buyer over time.

How likely is a price of $150,000?

Even Bernstein admits that its $150,000 price target is "ambitious." After all, Bitcoin is still trading at a lower price now ($63,300) than it was on Election Day 2024 ($69,000). That doesn't quite square with the narrative that the incoming Trump administration would usher in a golden age for Bitcoin.

According to Polymarket, Bitcoin's probability of hitting $150,000 this year is just 3%. So keep your expectations in check. Even though Bitcoin is capable of explosive gains, there is still a risk that Bitcoin has not yet bottomed out. Moreover, if the Clarity Act is not passed by the end of summer, then it will likely get pushed into 2027, further delaying Bitcoin's rebound.

But as a long-term investment, the outlook is still bullish for Bitcoin. The fundamentals remain intact, and Bitcoin has always been highly cyclical. It may only be a matter of time before Bitcoin makes another run at $100,000.

Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.