Bloomberg Talks Bill Barhydt Talks Crypto Outlook for 2026
Dec 30, 2025
Bill Barhydt, Founder and CEO of Abra, shares his insights on the future of crypto markets. He compares the volatility of 2020 to today’s environment, highlighting how recent market dips are driven by traders while many investors hold long-term. Barhydt discusses key regulatory developments, predicting the Clarity Act will pave the way for broader tokenization in 2026. He emphasizes the advantages of tokenized assets like Bitcoin, including increased liquidity and the ability to borrow without triggering capital gains tax.
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2026 Could Echo 2020's Crypto Cycle
- Bill Barhydt sees strong parallels between 2020 and 2026 market dynamics, including crash, gold rally, and later rotation into risk assets.
- He predicts rate cuts and relaxed bank leverage will recreate a liquidity-driven crypto rally in 2026.
Clients Hold Bitcoin Long Term
- Abra's clients are long-term holders who keep assets in cold storage and rarely withdraw funds from the platform.
- Many clients now ask to borrow against Bitcoin holdings because they view current prices as a long-term floor.
Shrinking Float Amplifies Trader-Driven Moves
- Barhydt argues volatility is driven by traders and available float, which has shrunk as more Bitcoin is locked up in ETFs and wealth platforms.
- That reduced tradable float makes price moves more about trading flows than fundamental selling by long-term holders.