The Bitcoin price could be headed for more pain, as a crypto analyst has identified a new bear market indicator that suggests a crash to $40,000 is imminent. The analyst has predicted when this deep price decline is set to occur, warning investors to remain cautious or risk selling at a loss. 

Xanrox, a crypto analyst on TradingView, shared a detailed price analysis of Bitcoin on March 17, predicting that the pioneer cryptocurrency is set to crash to $40,000 by 2026. The analyst revealed that Bitcoin follows a predictable cycle pattern tied to its halving events, which occur every four years. During these years, the market alternates between bull markets, where prices skyrocket, and bear markets, marked by severe corrections. 

Bear Market Indicator Predicts Next Bitcoin Price Crash

Historically, bull markets last between 742 and 1,065 days, which is about 2-3 years. Conversely, bear markets last between 364 and 413 days—approximately one year. Notably, every bull run for each cycle has been weaker than the previous one due to Bitcoin’s rapidly growing market capitalization.

In every cycle, Bitcoin’s price crashes after a bull market, ultimately experiencing a decline between 77% to 86%. Reflecting on this recurring trend, Xanrox forecasts a major Bitcoin price correction, albeit a weaker one than those of previous cycles. The analyst believes that the cryptocurrency will crash 65% to $40,000, citing its significantly larger market capitalization and rapidly growing institutional adoption.

He shared a price chart that highlights the various halving cycles and the magnitude of each bull market rally and bear market crash since Bitcoin’s inception. He pointed out that statistically, predicting Bitcoin’s movements with a simple chart has always been accurate, suggesting that his 65% crash prediction was inevitable. 

Currently, Bitcoin’s considerable market capitalization of $1.63 trillion makes it unrealistic to achieve the extreme growth needed to reach a target of $300,000, $500,000, or even $1 million, as some moon analysts predict. Xanrox suggests that 2025 may be a bearish year, with the next Bitcoin bull run set to begin in 2026, after the bear market. 

CryptoQuant Says BTC Bull Cycle Is Over

Sharing a similar bearish sentiment about the current market, CryptoQuant’s founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ki Young Ju, has announced the unfortunate end of the Bitcoin bull cycle. Ju revealed that the market should expect 6 – 12 months of choppy price action, indicating the start of the bear market. 

He also highlights that every on-chain metric for Bitcoin is signaling a bear market, with fresh liquidity depleting while new whales are selling BTC at a significantly lower price. Moreover, Bitcoin is trading at $82,549, marking an over 20% price crash since its all-time high of more than $109,000 this year.

Altcoins are gaining some significant attention right now as major cryptocurrency investors, known as “whales,” increase their holdings ahead of the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. The strategic accumulation of specific digital assets by these influential investors signals potential opportunities in the market, and many smaller investors are also paying attention to these movements. With Bitcoin holding steady around $83,000 at the moment, and showing resilience in recent trading sessions, analysts anticipate a shift in liquidity toward alternative cryptocurrencies following the Fed’s decision. Such whale activity often precedes notable price action, especially when major economic policy announcements are on the horizon.

Also Read: 2 Reasons Why Shiba Inu (SHIB) ETFs Should Become a Reality

Whale-Endorsed Altcoins to Watch Ahead of FOMC Meeting

As the March 19 FOMC meeting approaches, crypto market participants are closely monitoring several promising altcoins that have captured the interest of whale investors. These large-scale investors often possess market-moving capabilities and also have privileged insights that make their investment choices particularly noteworthy at this time.

1. Solana Investment Trends Among Major Players

Solana has emerged as a favorite among cryptocurrency whales preparing for potential market movements following the FOMC announcement. The high-performance blockchain platform continues to attract substantial investment from major players in the space right now.

The next Altcoin Rally starts in 3 days!

Just like in 2021, the market will go parabolic after this shakeout.

$150 today = $25,000 in 3 weeks if buy the RIGHT altcoins.

Here’s a list of the top alts with 200x potential pic.twitter.com/r0e7IK33kh

— Chiefy (@0xChiefy) March 17, 2025

Chiefy also said:

“The next Altcoin Rally starts in 3 days! Just like in 2021, the market will go parabolic after this shakeout. $150 today = $25,000 in 3 weeks if buy the RIGHT altcoins.”

Also Read: XRP Price Prediction: Where Is It Headed By 2027?

2. Dogecoin Accumulation Patterns Before Fed Decision

Dogecoin has been actively accumulated by whale investors ahead of the upcoming FOMC meeting. Despite its meme coin origins, significant buying activity has been observed from addresses holding large amounts of DOGE, suggesting confidence in its short-term performance prospects and also indicating potential for future value gains in the coming days.

The Federal Reserve is also expected to maintain current interest rates between a value of 4.25% and 4.5% during this week’s meeting. However, the real focus will be placed on Jerome Powell’s press conference scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, where his comments could, in all likelihood, significantly impact market sentiment and also trigger movement in the crypto space and beyond. At the time of writing, investors are preparing for what might be an important turning point for digital assets, as well as the broader financial markets, depending on the tone and specific wording that Powell chooses to use during the question and answer session.

Also Read: Pepe: Analyst Predicts 50% Rally To $0.0000105

3. Cardano Price Surge Expectations Post-FOMC

Major investors have positioned Cardano for potential price appreciation following the FOMC announcement. The proof-of-stake blockchain platform has seen increased whale activity in recent days, with large transactions indicating strategic positioning ahead of the meeting.

Analysts note that the first rate cut of 2025 may not occur until June, but positive statements from Powell could send bullish signals to crypto markets. Additionally, any indication of halting quantitative tightening would likely benefit digital assets by potentially increasing market liquidity in the coming months.

Also Read: Pi Network’s PI Token Plummets: Will It Fall Below $1 Soon?

Emerging Altcoins Gaining Whale Attention

Market experts have highlighted several emerging altcoins, beyond the established names, as potential beneficiaries of post-FOMC liquidity shifts. Realio, described as “an end-to-end, blockchain-based SaaS platform for the issuance, investment, and life-cycle management of digital securities and cryptoassets.“

Analysts have identified it as one such opportunity, with its current price at $0.20 and a $30M market cap at the time of writing. Investors are taking notice of its unique positioning in the market. The platform has also attracted attention from various major blockchain investment groups recently, as traders look for alternatives to more established cryptocurrencies ahead of the Fed’s announcement.

Other notable mentions include Sonic, Ondo, Band Protocol, Render, Filecoin, Theta, Sui, Helium, Jupiter, and Hyperliquid. Analysts have flagged these projects for their growth potential as liquidity could move from Bitcoin to altcoins after the Fed meeting.

The upcoming FOMC meeting represents a critical economic event that could trigger significant movement in cryptocurrency markets. While Bitcoin currently holds at elevated price levels, whale accumulation patterns and expert analysis indicate the potential for an altcoin surge. Investors looking for opportunities in the crypto space are paying close attention to these whale-endorsed altcoins as the Federal Reserve’s decision approaches in the next few days.

Also Read: US Gas Prices Drop For Fourth Consecutive Week, New 4-Y Low