Coin Bureau's Puckrin Forecasts a Bifurcated Bitcoin Landscape for 2026
During a conversation with Cointelegraph, Nic Puckrin, the head of Coin Bureau, analyzes the underlying dynamics fueling Bitcoin's current downturn and forecasts potential scenarios for 2026.
During an exclusive conversation with Cointelegraph, Nic Puckrin, who serves as both CEO of Coin Bureau and a well-known crypto YouTuber, predicts that 2026 will unfold as a "tale of two crypto markets" — characterized by strong institutional commitment on one end, and almost complete retail investor disengagement on the other.
Despite the fact that news coverage has centered heavily on exchange-traded funds, regulatory developments and widespread institutional adoption, Puckrin contends that retail participants are notably absent compared to their engagement levels during earlier market cycles — and he details the significance of this absence for future market dynamics.
Puckrin also returns to the ongoing conversation surrounding Bitcoin's "four-year cycle." Numerous market participants proclaimed the traditional pattern obsolete following an atypical price surge preceding the halving event and the lack of a traditional parabolic peak. Nevertheless, Puckrin explains how current price movements have compelled even doubters to reassess their positions.
The discussion delves into the quantum computing storyline — a potential threat that has transitioned from obscure speculation to earnest consideration among certain market participants. Puckrin clarifies why quantum computing is now being incorporated into additional risk assessment models, and why the cryptocurrency sector remains deeply divided regarding the actual immediacy of this danger.
To conclude, he reveals where his attention is focused beyond cryptocurrency this year — and which circumstances might facilitate a substantial Bitcoin price recovery as the year progresses.
View the complete interview on Cointelegraph's channel to learn Puckrin's full perspective, the critical price points he's monitoring, and the triggers he thinks will shape Bitcoin's subsequent trajectory.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.