In a recent analysis of Bitcoin and Ether, leading economists and market analysts are offering predictions that may shape investor sentiment as we approach the end of 2025. According to economist Timothy Peterson, historical patterns suggest that Bitcoin could close above $173,000 by the end of this year. Peterson notes that historically, following September 21, Bitcoin has finished the year with gains 70% of the time, with a median increase of over 50%. Based on Sunday’s intraday high of $115,879, a 50% gain could potentially elevate Bitcoin’s value to $173,000.
While Peterson acknowledges that this trend hasn’t held firm in years such as 2018 and 2022—years marked by significant bear markets—he believes the odds of this prediction holding true are closer to 90%. His outlook aligns with predictions from notable figures such as Matthew Sigel of VanEck, who anticipates Bitcoin could reach $180,000 by year’s end. Yet, more optimistic forecasts from BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes and Unchained’s Joe Burnett suggest a possibility of Bitcoin hitting $250,000.
Despite Bitcoin’s current trading price of $112,710, reflecting a 2.14% decline over the last month, market analysts debate the potential for price fluctuations following any peaks. Benjamin Cowen, founder of Into The Cryptoverse, maintains his stance that Bitcoin may encounter a significant drop of between 66% to 74% from this cycle’s all-time high during the subsequent bear market.
Shifting focus to Ether, Tesseract CEO James Harris indicates potential for a rally if Ether can breach its current resistance at around $4,650-$4,700. Ether, which is currently trading at around $4,207, has faced nearly an 8% decline over the past month. Harris has set a year-end target of $6,500, but cautions that short-term volatility is possible, particularly due to monetary rate cuts that may affect valuations.
In parallel, the launch of the XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the U.S. has led to mixed expectations among traders. Analyst Pav Hundal warns of potential disappointment for investors hoping for an immediate price surge in response to the ETF’s debut. Hundal emphasizes the importance of caution, drawing attention to past incidents where significant ETF approvals did not prevent sell-offs in Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Meanwhile, market sentiment is varied, with Crypto analyst Egrag Crypto predicting that XRP could reach between $6 and $7 by mid-November, while Derive’s Dr. Sean Dawson estimates that Solana (SOL) could surge by 36% this October, potentially reaching $300, driven by increased adoption.
As for Bitcoin, Santiment advises traders to temper expectations regarding immediate rallies, labeling the current sentiment as one of caution. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has retreated to a “Fear” status, a shift from a week of “Neutral” sentiment, indicating uncertainty among market participants.
Despite this cautious outlook, prediction markets display increasing bullish sentiment. Data from PolyMarket indicates a 61% chance that Bitcoin will surpass its August all-time high by December 31, prompting optimism as we head into Q4, traditionally a strong quarter for Bitcoin.
As futures traders speculate on price movements, indicators suggest a 42% chance of Bitcoin reaching above $120,000 by the end of October, creating a favorable landscape for traders looking for potential gains in major cryptocurrencies. Overall, while the landscape remains tumultuous, the continuing bullish outlook from various analysts may help to stabilize sentiment as we move further into the final months of the year.
