Bitget CEO: Bitcoin likely near current levels by year-end

Gracy Chen, chief executive of crypto exchange Bitget, expects Bitcoin to stay broadly around current price levels through the end of the year. She forecast a potential move of about $10,000 to $20,000 higher or lower from current levels.

Chen made the remarks during a recent podcast interview. She said predicting whether Bitcoin will finish the year above or below $70,000 is difficult because the market reacts to interest rates and broader macroeconomic conditions. She warned that if interest rates rise, “the price should go down, at least theoretically,” pointing to Bitcoin’s growing integration with traditional finance.

She described the $10,000–$20,000 range as a “more responsible” forecast and said larger swings could occur if monetary policy or market sentiment changes sharply.

On the prospect of the U.S. government buying Bitcoin for official reserves, Chen described active purchases as unlikely in the near term. She noted the administration created a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in March 2025 using coins forfeited to the federal government, but said moving from holding seized assets to deliberate purchases would require a larger policy decision and debate among lawmakers and political parties. “From a policy perspective, it’s probably unlikely,” she added. “I just don’t see it coming right now.”

The federal government is estimated to hold about 328,372 BTC, most of it acquired through law enforcement seizures and forfeitures rather than direct purchases. Chen said increasing official purchases would represent a significant change from the current practice of holding forfeited coins.

Chen pointed to interest-rate policy as a key influence on Bitcoin price dynamics. Higher interest rates tend to raise the appeal of cash and bonds relative to risk assets, which can put downward pressure on cryptocurrencies that have attracted institutional and investor interest.