Emily Walker
Arthur Hayes, a notable commentator in the cryptocurrency sphere and former CEO of BitMEX, forecasts a significant decline in the digital asset market coinciding with Donald Trump’s inauguration as President. He also suggests that this downturn will likely be succeeded by a robust recovery.
Hayes Cautions Against Unrealistic Hopes From Trump’s Presidency
In a recent blog update, Hayes elaborated on his expectations for the crypto market in the upcoming year. He conveyed that the high hopes associated with Trump’s administration may clash with political realities, causing investor anxiety and triggering a major sell-off in the market.
Hayes critiques the overly optimistic expectations from Trump, expressing skepticism about his ability to satisfy his supporters enough to prevent a Democratic resurgence in the 2026 elections. He predicts that Trump will only have a year to implement any meaningful changes.
He anticipates that the market will soon realize these constraints, leading to a “vicious sell-off” in cryptocurrency. In light of this, Hayes mentioned that his investment firm, Maelstrom, will take profits before this downturn and consider re-entering at lower prices in early 2025. Nonetheless, he expressed a willingness to “admit defeat” if the market does not correct by January 20.
Following Trump’s electoral win, the crypto market saw renewed optimism, with Bitcoin surpassing the $100,000 milestone for the first time. Currently, the cryptocurrency market capitalization is approximately $3.81 trillion.
His victory has also sparked discussions about a potential national Bitcoin reserve, which could encourage other countries to purchase the cryptocurrency. However, Hayes does not foresee this happening soon. He stated:
While I don’t believe the US government will purchase Bitcoin, it doesn’t affect my positive price outlook. At the end of the day, a gold devaluation creates dollars which must find a home in real goods/services and financial assets.
Diverging Predictions for Bitcoin’s Future
While Hayes expects a downturn in the crypto market in early 2025, Matrixport, a crypto financial services company, has a different outlook. A recent post on X indicates that they anticipate a “strong start” for Bitcoin as 2025 approaches.
Standard Chartered, on the other hand, forecasts that Bitcoin might surge to $200,000 by 2025 due to increasing institutional investments in the cryptocurrency. Additionally, Bitfinex’s latest report hints at further growth for Bitcoin following its consolidation around the $100,000 mark.
Even more optimistic projections come from Bitwise’s Matt Hougan, who mentioned that buying Bitcoin before it hits $500,000 would still be labeled as “early.” As it stands, Bitcoin is trading at $104,002, reflecting a 2.8% decrease over the past day.
