What significant changes will the crypto market undergo in 2026? The blue-chip era is coming, and retail investors in alts will be disappointed.

The crypto market next year may be much more “picky” than you think.

According to the latest analysis from industry research institutions, the era of traditional altcoins experiencing a comprehensive rise may be fading. Instead, liquidity will become extremely selective—only the truly top-tier blue-chip crypto assets will attract the majority of funds. What does this mean? Retail investors who hope to profit by buying a few small coins may face a high probability of disappointment.

Analysts' predictions are: don't expect to see that kind of “entire altcoin sector rising together” scene again. Liquidity will become increasingly concentrated and will only flow towards those projects that are truly recognized by the market and have solid fundamentals.

Looking ahead to 2026, there will indeed be moderate signs of improvement in global liquidity. However, this optimistic outlook will be hindered by the policy divergences of central banks in various countries—differing interest rates and monetary policy directions will weaken the overall liquidity dividend.

It is worth noting that the market characteristics of Bitcoin are also quietly changing. Since the launch of the spot ETF in 2024, Bitcoin's sensitivity to the growth of the global M2 money supply has significantly weakened, and the correlation between the two has also loosened. This means that the price drivers of Bitcoin are shifting from macro monetary policy to a more diverse set of factors.

As for the specific price, institutions have set a target price of $180,000 for Bitcoin in 2026. This figure is based on the current market logic and policy expectations, but whether it can ultimately be reached will depend on the actual liquidity supply and market sentiment.