At the end of 2018, many financial analysts and experts shared their thoughts about the Bitcoin rate for 2019.
At the end of 2018, many financial analysts and experts shared their thoughts about the Bitcoin rate for 2019. Last year, Timur Nigmatullin, Analyst at Otkritie Broker, announced one of the most accurate forecasts, calling the cryptocurrency market a “bubble” and noting that quotations would decline from the beginning of 2018, in turn, by the end of the year they would approach $4- $7 thousand. According to the opinions of the experts, the median value of the Bitcoin rate as of the end of 2019 will be $5.5 thousand.
Timur Nigmatullin, Analyst at Otkritie Broker (best forecaster-2018):
Currently, the decline pf cryptocurrency and Bitcoin market is sufficiently observed so that, based on the analysis of the behavior of many other similar “bubbles”, we can expect a long process of stabilization. In addition, Bitcoin and some other cryptocurrencies in general are quite widely used outside of speculations. So, the settlements on specific markets are made through them, they are used for capital accumulation and attraction. I think that the market capitalization in 2019 will fluctuate in a wide range around the values of $100 billion, and the cost of Bitcoin – around $4 thousand.
Leonid Delitsyn, Analyst at FINAM:
The best that can be said about Bitcoin, based on its current state, is that by the end of the first quarter the rate will be the same as today, that is, around $3- $4 thousand. However, I think that it may also fall to $2 thousand or even up to $1 thousand. Bitcoin will experience a decline with a fall rate of about 15% per month. A mark slightly above $1 thousand will be observed at the end of the coming year.
The crypto-fever is over, Bitcoin is no longer interested for the wide public, despite the best efforts of the media and analysts. Nobody wishes to buy it. Analysts are already more concerned about saving their own future than about saving the industry.
Other cryptocurrencies will follow Bitcoin with scattered results. An exception may be XRP, which will experience an upturn along with each release about partnerships with the banks that are testing this system. However, if at the same time, banks do not report specific indicators of cost reduction or speed increase due to the introduction of Ripple, then after such upturns, the indicators will come back to the previous levels.
Alexander Ageyev, Analyst at FinIst:
By the end of the first quarter, the cost of Bitcoin can rise to $6 thousand on average, and be fixed in the range between $5.7 and $6.5 thousand. Movement will be expressed by a medium-term trend, rather than by a fast impulse. I expect a maximum mark of $10 thousand throughout 2019, while the price will not be fixed and will return to the range of six thousand.
Ethereum will reach a price of $162 dollars and will be fixed at this point. The maximum level during the year is $200. XRP will be fixed at $0.50. There is a possibility that 2019 may be positive for this asset, and $0.50 is only the first expected target. It is worth waiting Bitcoin Cash around $280 by the end of the first quarter, IOTA could reach $0.41 for the same period.
Taking into account the peculiarities of the cryptocurrency market, including a positive correlation of assets to the US dollar, it is worth expecting growth of the majority of highly liquid assets against the backdrop of positive events and sentiments in the industry. The dynamics of the growth over the first six months will vary from 50% to 100% relative to the current prices for each of them.
Mikhail Machenko, Social Network Analyst for eToro Investors in Russia and the CIS:
I do not think that it is worth building forecasts upon the launch of new platforms and tools, even upon rather interesting ones.
It is enough to recall the most anticipated events on the market in 2018 and the reaction of quotations to them. Generally, price movements occurred in the course of introduction of changes that directly affect the operation of the network or the emission of coins.
At the same time, the development of infrastructure for speculations and earnings was almost always ignored. Nevertheless, several significant moments will occur in the beginning of 2019: hard forks of Constantinople, launch of Fidelity Investments and Bakkt services, etc. This may become a kind of trigger for the course revitalization, but a long-term reaction may be lacking: institutions will also be restrained by current legislation and market non-transparency. In addition, a huge number of short positions is currently open, including hedge ones, and really strong news will be required for a complete change of public mood.
Optimistic forecast for BTC/USD: by the end of the first quarter – $5.5 thousand, by the end of the first half of the year – $7 thousand. Further growth by the end of the year seems really unlikely, the rate may be in the range of $5.5 thousand – $7 thousand. Perhaps, one of the most interesting altcoins is Ripple, which, unlike other top coins, has left the downtrend, and the technical picture for it looks quite promising. With proper sentiment, the XRP/USD market may strengthen up to $ 0.60 by the end of the first half of the year and set a course for $1.
Pavel Matveyev, Wirex:
Bitcoin could reach $10 thousand approximately by the end of the second quarter. Over the course of 3-5 years, the exchange rate could grow to $20 thousand. Stablecoins can come into play: they will attract liquidity and will allow reducing volatility. In addition, they can attract new investors – not only institutional, but also individuals.
Maria Salnikova, Leading Analyst at Expert Plus LLC:
By the end of the first quarter and the first half of 2019, the cost of Bitcoin will fluctuate around $5 thousand. That is, the expectations are moderately optimistic and the fact is that the price will be flat, without a clear growth trend; the continuous fall is also possible. Next, you need to focus on the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve, political factors and pressure on the global economy from the United States and China.
In case of optimistic scenario and the growing demand for cryptocurrency, ethereum can grow up to $250- $280. Litecoin, if it can overcome the mark of $40, will go to the level of $60. Other less popular assets should be viewed from the perspective of short-term speculations, without the idea of growth or expectation for a wide range of fluctuations. After a prolonged fall, the market has not yet demonstrated the signs of recovery.
Olga Prokhorova, Axpert at the International Financial Center:
It is a thankless task to give any long-term forecasts, especially for cryptocurrencies. Visual evidence is the results of 2018, when instead of the “promised” $20,000 – $50,000 Bitcoin costed four times less than at the beginning of the year.
No the forecast itself is so important, as its arguments. But due to the fact that there are no necessary indicators for a competent analysis of cryptocurrencies, this task takes the form of “heads and tails”. Fundamental analysis is not applicable to cryptocurrencies in principle (there is no such concept in this market as macroeconomic indicators), and the news feed became quite poor. Conduct of a classical technical analysis is impossible, since the historical data is simply not sufficient to form clear long-term trends, and the intermediate ones have not been formed.
The first quarter of 2019 will largely determine the future of the market, since the main dilemma of cryptocurrencies – the regulatory one – should be resolved over this period.
Answers to the regulatory questions will determine the future of the market – whether the Bakkt platform may be launched, whether the SEC decision on the launch of Bitcoin-ETF may be taken, etc. However, even in case of a positive scenario (everything was allowed and launched), I do not expect a rally, and would recommend temporarily to forget about Bitcoin prices in the range of $20 thousand- $50 thousand. This waiting for a rally is destroying this market – instead of creation of new real breakthrough products and services and selling them for the same Bitcoin, people just sit and wait for the prices to rise.
Approximate landmarks can be given only for the next quarter. BTC/USD in the first quarter is likely to remain within the range of $3.15 thousand – $5 thousand. If Bitcoin-ETF is approved, the price can be higher, but only upon the condition that large investors are interested in this market. The dynamics will strongly depend on the events on Wall Street, where a new downtrend seems to be appearing.
The question of whether big money will go to cryptocurrencies remains open. From my point of view, they will not go: this is unlikely, risky and unreliable. It will take years to build a high-quality infrastructure and clear the market of the useless projects.
Therefore, with the most optimistic scenario for BTC, it could cost about $6 thousand by the end of the first half of the year, and $10 thousand a year later. Leading altcoins generally correlate with the price of Bitcoin, so their dynamics will exactly repeat the BTC movement, but in their ranges.
Source: www.vc.ru