Matthew Sigel Says Bitcoin Needs More Corporate Adoption

Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, said Bitcoin could reach $180,000 this bull cycle but has “inadequate” exposure to institutional adoption.

Appearing on the Coin Stories podcast, Matthew Sigel said Bitcoin (BTC) could go as high as $180,000 in 2025, pointing to key indicators such as funding rates, unrealized profits and retail speculation as the basis for this prediction. Chatting with host Natalie Brunel, Sigel said that VanEck “has been bullish on Bitcoin since 2017.” However, he believes that institutional adoption of Bitcoin still has a long way to go.

He said traditional asset managers, many of which are owned by banks and brokers, such as Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, have been slow to incorporate BTC into their financial strategies. Their tightly regulated structure and reliance on traditional asset allocation models such as the 60-40 portfolio have not yet been adjusted to accommodate BTC ETFs.

This adds to the fact that nearly 80% of BTC ETF holders are retail or high-net-worth investors, either moving away from self-custody or growing their existing positions, according to Sigel. He added that institutional asset managers have not yet significantly entered this space.

I had the chance to sit together @vaneck_us‘s @matthew_sigel To discuss the price of Bitcoin, the potential of the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, institutional adoption, ETFs, emerging markets adoption, and more.

We break down the prediction of $180k Bitcoin in 2025 and $450k in the next cycle. pic.twitter.com/QRstbQl8dG

— Natalie Brunell ⚡️ (@natbrunell) December 16, 2024

Bitcoin could go as high as $180K during this bull run

BTC rose to $107,780.58 on December 16 as institutional interest continued to grow, with the prediction that BTC would reach $180,000 amid growing optimism in the crypto market. Sigel shared that macro trends such as inflation hedging and the adoption of BTC as digital gold are fueling this bullish sentiment. According to Sigel, BTC provides protection against actions such as state currency devaluation and asset seizures, which are essential for individuals living in countries with double-digit inflation.

As one of the most active organizations in launching crypto products such as BTC ETFs, VanEck remains a major player in the digital asset space. VanEck’s research influencing sentiment among institutional investors seeking exposure to Bitcoin echoes Sigel’s insight.