The crypto market in 2025 didn’t just hit its peak—it went into overdrive. A major reason? Too many big names jumped on the bandwagon, including former President Donald Trump and his family. According to Jay Woods, Chief Market Strategist at Freedom Capital Markets, their involvement helped make crypto one of the most crowded and overhyped trades of the year. Now, that crowding is leaving a heavy impact as we step into 2026.

“Crypto got way too crowded,” Woods said. “There were just too many high-profile figures getting involved, even the President and his family.”

Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Solana reached record highs in 2025. But since then, prices have dropped sharply. This decline was partly due to investors being forced to sell off assets after taking on too much risk, and partly because many people pulled back from risky investments in general.

**Crypto in 2026: A Tough Road Ahead**

Woods didn’t directly blame the crypto crash on all the hype and investor mania from late 2025, but he made it clear that the damage on the charts shows how overheated the market became. And recovering from that won’t be quick or easy.

“I don’t think crypto will hit new highs in 2026,” Woods warned.

While Woods has shared positive outlooks for the stock market and even picked out some top-performing tech stocks for 2026, when it comes to crypto, he’s planning to stay out of it this year.

**Technical Damage Needs Time to Heal**

Right now, the fundamentals don’t give a clear direction for where crypto is heading. Instead, Woods is looking at technical trends—and those trends show serious damage.

“Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana all need time to recover,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of technical breakdowns in their charts.”

One thing that could help is consolidation—a period where prices stabilize instead of going up or down quickly. For Bitcoin specifically, Woods believes it needs to hold steady around the $90,000 mark before any real growth can start again.

“Until Bitcoin settles down near $90K, I don’t see it making a strong comeback,” he added.

**Crypto Starts 2026 on the Defensive**

After a wild year packed with hype and too much attention from high-level figures, crypto enters 2026 in a vulnerable state. The market needs time to cool off and rebuild trust among investors.

**Current Bitcoin Price**

As of now, Bitcoin is trading at $87,905. Over the past year, it has moved between $74,436 and $126,198, with its highest point reached on October 6, 2025. Year-to-date in 2025, Bitcoin is down about 5.9%.

**Key Takeaways for Crypto Investors in 2026:**

– The crypto market was overcrowded in 2025, even attracting high-profile names like Donald Trump.
– Bitcoin and other major coins hit record highs but have since dropped due to overleveraged positions and investor caution.
– Recovery in 2026 is expected to be slow, with little chance of new highs anytime soon.
– Technical indicators show significant damage, and consolidation is needed before another upward trend can begin.
– Bitcoin needs to stabilize around $90K for a healthier outlook moving forward.

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