Bitcoin, ETH, NEAR Are the Best Bets for the Rest of 2026, Analyst Predicts

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) and NEAR Protocol (CRYPTO: NEAR) could be positioning for significant gains, according to Milk Road analyst John Gillen. He argues improving market structure, institutional adoption and the convergence of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology strengthen the long-term crypto outlook. Why BTC Bulls Remain in Control In an interview with Milk Road on Tuesday, Gillen said Bitcoin remains in an early bull market despite recent volatility. Bitcoin twice rebounded from $81,000 to reclaim $83,000, with a breakout above $87,000 potentially driving prices toward $90,000. However, losing $75,500 could weaken the bullish outlook. Gillen expects inflation data, the Fed’s October rate decision and the U.S. midterm elections to ease macro uncertainty, potentially attracting fresh crypto inflows by late October or November. Could NEAR Protocol Explode? Gillen highlighted NEAR Protocol as a potential beneficiary of growing demand for AI-powered financial infrastructure. Citing Bitwise’s bullish valuation scenario, he suggested NEAR could reach $155–$160 if its market cap matched Ethereum’s, with an aggressive $500 target remaining highly speculative. NEAR’s Intents technology enables users and AI agents to execute cross-chain transactions seamlessly, potentially benefiting from wider AI assistant adoption. However, Gillen warned that NEAR must continue innovating to maintain its competitive edge as rivals develop similar solutions. Why ETH Could Benefit From Institutional Adoption Gillen identified Ethereum as a major beneficiary of tokenization, AI and traditional finance convergence, citing its decentralization, security and permissionless infrastructure. He expects growing adoption of tokenized assets, DeFi and autonomous AI agents to drive demand for blockchain-based financial services. Addressing quantum computing and AI-related security threats, Gillen argued that cryptographic systems can evolve, making widespread panic premature. He believes the convergence of digital assets, tokenization and agentic finance presents an exceptionally bullish outlook. Although, elevated Treasury yields, restrictive monetary policy and cybersecurity risks remain key challenges. Image: Shutterstock Read Also: Is a Stronger Dollar Bullish for Bitcoin?