Cathie Wood doubles down on Bitcoin with bold $1.25M prediction

Cathie Wood has raised her long-term Bitcoin forecast to as high as $1.25 million, even as the cryptocurrency trades below key resistance levels during another period of macro uncertainty.

Speaking in a recent interview with Fox Business, the ARK Invest chief executive said institutional demand continues to support the firm’s long-term outlook for Bitcoin. Wood stated that ARK Invest now sees a base-case Bitcoin target of $750,000 over the next five years, while its bull-case scenario projects prices climbing to $1.25 million.

According to Wood, pension funds, asset managers, and corporations are still in the early stages of allocating capital to Bitcoin. She described the cryptocurrency as a new asset class that institutional investors can no longer ignore if they want to improve long-term portfolio returns.

At the same time, Bitcoin remains stuck near the $77,000 range after several failed attempts to reclaim the $80,000 psychological level. Data from crypto.news showed Bitcoin (BTC) price was trading at roughly $77,149 on Tuesday, moving sideways over the past 24 hours. Intraday trading ranged between $76,451 and $77,998, while daily volume also slipped slightly.

Meanwhile, Wood argued that Bitcoin could continue taking market share from gold as younger investors inherit wealth over the coming decades. She also said the asset may gain traction in emerging economies where inflation, corruption, and currency instability continue to pressure local financial systems.

ARK Invest ties Bitcoin forecast to institutional adoption

As crypto.news reported earlier, fresh projections from ARK Invest’s Big Ideas 2026 report offer more detail behind the company’s aggressive Bitcoin outlook. According to figures cited by Forbes, the report estimates Bitcoin’s market capitalization could expand from roughly $2 trillion today to nearly $16 trillion by 2030.

The report also projects annual compound growth of about 63% during the remainder of the decade. ARK Invest attributed the forecast to several factors, including spot Bitcoin ETF demand, corporate treasury adoption, nation-state reserves, and Bitcoin’s use as settlement collateral across financial markets.

Beyond Bitcoin, ARK Invest predicted the wider digital asset sector could grow from around $2.8 trillion to nearly $28 trillion by 2030. The report named Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana as the dominant networks expected to capture most of that expansion.

Recent trading activity from ARK Invest has also reinforced the firm’s crypto-focused strategy. Earlier this month, the investment company purchased about $4.4 million worth of shares in Bullish after the exchange operator’s stock declined for five straight trading sessions before rebounding slightly.

Market reports showed ARK Invest added Bullish shares across its ARK Innovation ETF, ARK Next Generation Internet ETF, and ARK Fintech Innovation ETF products over two trading days.

Bitcoin faces pressure from geopolitics and Fed concerns

Despite Wood’s optimistic forecast, several market risks continue to weigh on Bitcoin in the short term. According to a May 26 report from The New York Times, investors remain cautious after the latest self-defense strikes linked to the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict added fresh volatility across global markets.

Spot Bitcoin ETF outflows have also continued to pressure sentiment. At the same time, traders are closely watching the Federal Reserve after speculation grew that incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh could support additional rate hikes during his first policy meetings.

Elsewhere, some crypto investors continue to maintain longer-term bullish targets similar to Wood’s outlook. Public figures, including Robert Kiyosaki, Arthur Hayes, and Brian Armstrong, have previously discussed scenarios where Bitcoin could eventually reach the $1 million level during a future market cycle.

Meanwhile, Anthony Scaramucci recently told investors he still expects Bitcoin to rally later in 2026 if the traditional four-year crypto cycle remains intact.