Cantor says bitcoin bear market may be entering final stretch

Markets Cantor says bitcoin bear market may be entering final stretch The bank said in a note bitcoin's cycle points to a market bottom in the coming months, urging investors to focus on networks with durable value accrual. By Will Canny , AI Boost | Edited by Nikhilesh De Jul 1, 2026, 3:11 p.m. 2 min read Make preferred on Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Make preferred on Cantor says bitcoin bear market may be entering final stretch. (Pixabay) Summary Show Cantor said bitcoin is likely in the late stages of its current bear cycle, with historical patterns pointing to a potential bottom around October. The next crypto winners will be networks that translate usage into lasting token demand through cash flow or monetary premium. Digital asset treasury companies are evolving beyond passive token holders into active operating businesses that could become key bridges between traditional finance and crypto, the bank said. Wall Street bank Cantor Fitzgerald said crypto markets are entering the final stage of the current bear cycle, with bitcoin's BTC $ 58,580.68 historical trading patterns pointing to a potential bottom in the coming months. "Ultimately, our belief is that we are only a few months away from the bottom of this pullback," analysts led by Gareth Gacetta said in the Tuesday report. As of June 10, bitcoin was 252 days past its 2025 peak and down about 51%. Across the previous three market cycles, BTC bottomed an average of 384 days after peaking, implying the current downturn could reach a low around late October if history repeats. The analysts cautioned that the model is not a precise timing tool given macroeconomic, regulatory and geopolitical risks but said crypto's reflexive nature means historical cycles can become self-reinforcing. The world's largest cryptocurrency was trading around $59,500 at publication time. With the market nearing a potential turning point, the report said investors should shift their focus from speculative activity to networks with durable value accrual. Crypto markets have struggled in recent months, with bitcoin falling more than 50% from its late-2025 peak after a sharp June selloff driven by persistent exchange-traded fund (ETF) outflows, elevated interest rates and weaker risk appetite. Ether (ETH) and most major altcoins have underperformed bitcoin during the downturn, although a handful of sectors, including decentralized finance (DeFi) and tokenization, have shown relative resilience. While crypto adoption is expanding across stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, onchain credit and DeFi, the bank argued that usage alone does not drive token value. Instead, long-term winners will convert activity into sustainable cash flow or lasting monetary demand. Cantor identified Hyperliquid as the clearest example of fee-driven token economics through HYPE buybacks and burns, while bitcoin remains the benchmark monetary asset and Ethereum the dominant collateral layer for onchain finance. Solana, Sui, XRP and Zcash each have differentiated strengths, the report said, but still need to prove they can translate ecosystem growth into durable token demand. The bank also highlighted digital asset treasury companies as an overlooked investment theme, arguing the strongest firms are evolving beyond passive crypto holders into active operators that generate yield, build infrastructure and provide institutional access to digital assets. It initiated coverage of digital asset treasury companies Forward Industries (FWDI) and Cypherpunk Technologies (CYPH) with overweight ratings and price targets of $7.90 and $0.90, respectively. Read more: Citi slashes 12-month bitcoin, ether targets as ETF flows dry up Cantor Fitzgerald Digital Asset Treasury Bitcoin News AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards . For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy . Related Assets Bitcoin $ 59,780.12 2.53 % Latest Crypto News 1 Goliath Ventures CEO pleads guilty in $400 million crypto Ponzi case 6 minutes ago 2 Bitcoin climbs toward $60,000 after Fed Chair Warsh said inflation risks has come down 36 minutes ago 3 EthLabs launches as Ethereum undergoes its biggest leadership transition in years 1 hour ago 4 Europe's MiCA rollout sparks debate over who wins under new crypto rules 1 hour ago 5 Europe is closing the door on offshore crypto, but it’s leaving the riskiest window open 1 hour ago 6 French banking giant Crédit Agricole rolls out euro stablecoin, EURXT 1 hour ago 7 Morpho poised to scale as DeFi infrastructure play, Standard Chartered says 1 hour ago 8 Ethereum gets a new nonprofit focused on institutional adoption 1 hour ago 9 Citi slashes 12-month bitcoin, ether targets as ETF flows dry up 1 hour ago 10 Tokenized Google stock inflated 7,700% in rare DeFi lending exploit 1 hour ago Latest Research Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold. By CoinDesk Research Jun 30, 2026 Commissioned by GenZcash Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold. Why it matters : Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold. View Full Report More From Markets Bitcoin climbs toward $60,000 after Fed Chair Warsh said inflation risks has come down Morpho poised to scale as DeFi infrastructure play, Standard Chartered says Citi slashes 12-month bitcoin, ether targets as ETF flows dry up More From Bitcoin Goliath Ventures CEO pleads guilty in $400 million crypto Ponzi case Bitcoin climbs toward $60,000 after Fed Chair Warsh said inflation risks has come down EthLabs launches as Ethereum undergoes its biggest leadership transition in years