Bitcoin and crypto have already proven that six figures are achievable, with price surging past $100,000 and extending to a peak of $126,198 in 2025. However, the pullback that followed has since dragged Bitcoin down to around $78,267. Yet, rather than signaling the end of the cycle, one expert argues that this downtrend is part of a broader structure that points to a return above $100,000.
Bitcoin’s $100,000 Crypto Cycle
Crypto expert @TheRealPlanC recently stated in a tweet that the rally which carried Bitcoin beyond $100,000 did not occur under favorable economic conditions. Instead, he explained that it developed during a contractionary business cycle, a period that has historically constrained risk assets.
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Even within that restrictive environment, Bitcoin advanced into six-figure territory, suggesting that underlying demand remained intact. As the expert notes, that strength was met with sustained selling. Long-term holders reduced exposure as prices climbed beyond $100,000, while traders guided by Bitcoin’s four-year cycle exited positions toward the latter part of 2025.
The decline that followed was intense but not driven by market structure alone. A combination of disruptions, including an exchange-related incident, institutional trading concerns, and heightened global uncertainty, added further strain. Despite these pressures, Bitcoin’s drawdown settled at roughly 52% from peak to trough, a level that, in the analyst’s view, reflects a correction rather than a collapse.
This sequence, as @TheRealPlanC frames it, recasts the $126,198 high. Instead of marking the end of the cycle, it begins to resemble the first peak in a market that has yet to fully play out.
When Bitcoin Could Climb Back Above $100,000
With Bitcoin now trading well below its previous high, the focus shifts to timing its return above $100,000. The Crypto expert links this expectation to a shift in the broader economic backdrop. He points to recent data showing the business cycle moving above the neutral threshold for three consecutive months, a development that signals a transition toward expansion. This shift is significant because it contrasts with the restrictive conditions that defined the earlier rally, opening the door for renewed upside.
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He also highlights changing demand dynamics. Large-scale accumulation, led by corporate buyers such as Michael Saylor, is reportedly absorbing between 10,000 and 30,000 Bitcoin each week. In the analyst’s view, this steady demand adds a structural layer of support as the market stabilizes.
Within this context, @TheRealPlanC interprets the decline from $126,198 to current levels near $78,267 as a mid-cycle reset rather than a prolonged downturn. Based on this framework, the analyst expects Bitcoin to reclaim $100,000 as conditions improve. He ultimately places the next major peak in 2027, suggesting that a move back above six figures could occur before that point as momentum gradually rebuilds. This perspective positions the current phase as part of an extended cycle, where reclaiming $100,000 signals continuation rather than completion.
Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com