Bitcoin Charts Course Toward $133K Peak: When Could Next ATH Emerge in Early 2026?

The crypto market draws attention this week as Bitcoin traders strategize around potential price catalysts heading into Q1 2026. With BTC currently hovering near the $92K level after recent volatility, the question on everyone’s mind centers on whether the leading cryptocurrency can break through its existing record and trigger the long-awaited altseason momentum.

2025’s Rally Built Solid Foundation Despite Q4 Pullback

Bitcoin’s journey throughout 2025 showcased the volatile nature of digital assets. The year opened with a significant correction that tested investor conviction, yet the pioneer cryptocurrency staged a remarkable recovery. By the final quarter, BTC reached its current all-time high in the $126K range, demonstrating remarkable resilience.

However, the celebration proved short-lived. Following this peak, the crypto ecosystem witnessed its largest liquidation event on record—approximately $20 billion in positions were wiped out in rapid succession. This cascade affected leveraged longs, shorts, and forced margin calls across exchanges. The aftermath sent both Bitcoin and Ethereum into a corrective phase, with prices grinding downward across multiple timeframes.

Currently, BTC trades in the low $90K zone with a market capitalization exceeding $1.8 trillion USD. The 24-hour trading volume reflects sustained interest, though price action suggests consolidation rather than explosive movement. For Bitcoin to reclaim its previous peak at $126K would require roughly a 37% surge from current levels.

Technical Setup Points Toward March Target

Prominent cryptocurrency analysts have begun highlighting an intriguing technical pattern that could reshape the near-term outlook. These market observers point to precedent from previous cycles: when Bitcoin previously broke a three-month downtrend with bullish divergence confirmation, the asset delivered a 50% advance.

Applying this framework to current conditions, respected on-chain analysts project Bitcoin could target the $133K level as the year transitions through early spring months. This scenario represents price discovery territory—moving beyond the existing ATH by approximately $7K.

The base case analysis suggests this move could unfold over the next 8-10 weeks, establishing March as a critical inflection point for the Bitcoin narrative. Such a rally would validate the thesis that December’s harsh correction served as capitulation rather than the beginning of a prolonged bear cycle.

Altseason Potential Hinges on Bitcoin’s Next Move

Beyond the pure price mechanics, this Bitcoin scenario carries broader implications for the digital asset ecosystem. Analysts maintaining this bullish framework believe the network could spark meaningful altseason activity before the broader bear phase potentially begins in subsequent quarters.

Throughout 2025, alternative cryptocurrencies underperformed despite Bitcoin’s stellar gains. A decisive break above $133K, according to this thesis, would create the psychological and technical conditions needed for capital rotation into layer-2 solutions, decentralized finance tokens, and emerging blockchain projects.

The coming weeks draw traders’ focus toward this critical threshold. Whether Bitcoin can construct the necessary technical foundation and maintain momentum amid macro headwinds remains the central question shaping market positioning.