Veteran trader Peter Brandt has pushed the timeline for Bitcoin’s next major upside move closer to 2027, arguing that the market is still working through an incomplete cycle. That view contrasts with expectations for a faster rebound and points instead to a slower recovery built on more consolidation.
Brandt’s reading of the chart is straightforward: Bitcoin has not yet gone through the final corrective phase needed to build a durable base. In his view, the current structure remains unfinished, which makes an immediate and convincing breakout less likely in the near term. The process may take time.
An unfinished base could keep Bitcoin trapped in extended consolidation
His analysis centers on a complex base formation he describes as a “compound fulcrum.” The pattern suggests an extended sideways stretch, with price swinging repeatedly in both directions rather than establishing a clean trend. In that kind of market, both bulls and bears can get whipsawed.
Brandt also says the structure likely needs a deeper retest of major support before it can be considered complete. He points to the $60,000 area as a critical zone that could act as a true local bottom. A move into that range could force out weaker holders and reset market expectations.
Below $66K may clear excess liquidity before any move above $75K
Alongside the $60,000 support range, Brandt says Bitcoin may need to trade below $66,000 to flush excess liquidity from the market. That step could weaken lingering bullish positioning, but it may also create a cleaner setup for a more stable advance. First the reset, then the attempt higher.
Only after that phase, he says, could Bitcoin try to break above $75,000 with stronger conviction. He also sees 2026 as a likely sideways period, often referred to as a crab market, where prices remain range-bound and accumulation becomes the dominant feature.
Historical comparison supports a slower recovery path
To support the thesis, Brandt draws a comparison with earlier commodity cycles, especially copper, which spent a long period building a base before moving into a sustained uptrend. He believes Bitcoin may follow a similar path rather than staging a rapid recovery.
The implication is clear: the market’s recovery could be stretched out over a longer period, with the next meaningful bullish cycle arriving closer to 2027. Until then, the focus remains on consolidation, support tests, and whether the broader structure can finally be completed.