Franklin Templeton issues Bitcoin price prediction for 2026

As the Bitcoin ($BTC) price continues to signal near-term selling pressure, a $1.68 trillion asset manager, Franklin Templeton, has issued a bold bullish prediction for 2026.

Christopher Jensen, the director of Digital Asset Research at Franklin Templeton Digital Assets (FTDA), stated that the firm’s base case is for $BTC price to return above $100,000 in 2026. During the interview with Milk Road on Thursday, April 30, Jensen explained that there is a path for the flagship coin to reclaim its 200-day Moving Average (MA) before rallying back above $100,000.

He added that Franklin Templeton is not among those predicting $1 million per $BTC in 12 months. As such, Jensen highlighted that $BTC price path above $100,000 could be characterized by high volatility and choppy consolidations.

“Everything is kind of probability weighted. But if we are talking about our base case, you know, I think we think we’re back above the $100,000 mark, which is kinda the key threshold,” Jensen stated.

Meanwhile, the asset manager’s representative said that Bitcoin and the broader crypto market remain trapped in a macro bear market. Moreover, $BTC price has been forming lower lows and lower highs since it hit its all-time high (ATH) at around $126,198 seven months ago.

Why is Franklin Templeton bullish on Bitcoin in 2026?

Franklin Templeton has reiterated its bullish stance on Bitcoin for 2026, despite recent bearish sentiment, citing several factors. For instance, Jensen stated that the flagship coin has been experiencing a healthy correction due to deleveraging that accelerated during the October 11, 2025, crypto-crash.

Additionally, the firm has issued a bullish stance on $BTC due to proven institutional demand, especially in the United States, driven by clear regulations. With the Clarity Act – a proposed U.S. federal regulation aimed at legalizing crypto assets – still likely to pass before the end of this year, a potential capital rotation from Gold and stocks could accelerate Bitcoin’s bullish thesis, as Finbold highlighted.