Crypto

1 Top Cryptocurrency to Buy Before It Soars Over 1,000%, According to Bernstein | The Motley Fool

Published

2 months ago

December 15, 2025

1 Top Cryptocurrency to Buy Before It Soars Over 1,000%, According to Bernstein | The Motley Fool

Bitcoin’s price dip has not deterred Bernstein analysts.

Cryptocurrency investors are understandably nervous as Bitcoin (BTC 4.08%) has fallen around 20% in the last three months. Some fear this could be the start of another crypto winter, but analysts at Bernstein remain optimistic. The brokerage recently predicted that Bitcoin will rally in the coming two years. It also reiterated its price target of $1 million by 2033. With the lead crypto hovering around the $90,000 mark, that suggests an upside of over 1,000%.

Today’s Change

(-4.08%) $-3646.00

Current Price

$85646.00

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$1.7T

Day’s Range

$85427.00 – $89935.00

52wk Range

$74604.47 – $126079.89

Volume

49B

Cryptocurrencies are volatile assets, and unfortunately, huge price swings come with the territory. Bernstein’s targets are a timely reminder to focus on the long-term horizon, which could bring dramatic growth.

A person wearing glasses types on a laptop keyboard.

Image source: Getty Images.

Why Bernstein remains bullish on Bitcoin

Bernstein had originally forecast that Bitcoin could reach $200,000 this year. The recent slump has poured cold water on that projection. Now, the analysts predict that Bitcoin will reach $150,000 by the end of next year and push on to $200,000 in 2027.

Continued institutional demand plays a key part in the firm’s belief that Bitcoin could reach $1 million by 2033. Bernstein points out that spot Bitcoin ETF outflows have been minimal in recent months, despite the extreme price correction. It argues that panic selling by retail investors is being offset by institutional buying.

Perhaps most importantly, Bernstein argues that Bitcoin has moved beyond its four-year Bitcoin halving cycle. Roughly every four years, the Bitcoin mining rewards get halved. It’s built into the programming as a way to control supply. In each of the previous cycles, Bitcoin’s price has risen to new highs in the 12 to 18 months after the halving.

2016 halving: Bitcoin set a new all-time high in December 2017.
2020 halving: Bitcoin set two new highs in April and November 2021.
2024 halving: Bitcoin set new highs in December 2024 and October 2025.

If the pattern holds, we could expect Bitcoin’s price to trend downward next year, having peaked in October. The very expectation of a slump is one of the factors behind faltering investor sentiment. However, Bernstein is one of several crypto analysts who think we’re entering new territory.

It joins leading institutions, including Ark Invest and Grayscale, in saying that Bitcoin will break away from its old cycles. Rather than a prolonged winter, they argue 2026 could bring new highs. The logic is that Bitcoin has matured, attracting significant institutional funds. Plus, next year may bring further rate cuts and regulatory clarity.

Bitcoin predictions are not set in stone

Price predictions are useful, especially when they come from established financial institutions. Even so, I’d take them with a grain of salt. This is still a relatively new and fast-changing industry, and there are too many moving parts to give more than a best guess. Case in point: Bitcoin is a long way from the $200,000 that Bernstein originally predicted for 2025.

Plus, those optimistic price targets only tell part of the picture. Analysts zoomed in on the stabilizing effect of institutional investors, which is just one of several possible growth drivers for the lead crypto. Others, such as its potential as a form of digital gold, are becoming harder to believe. For example, Bitcoin’s recent volatility undermines its safe-haven asset credentials. It has some of the traits of gold, but it doesn’t yet work as a store of value.

Similarly, in November, Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood slashed her price target for Bitcoin. She told CNBC that the rapid growth of stablecoins and their use in emerging markets eats into a role the firm thought Bitcoin would play. That said, her long-term conviction is still extremely bullish — to her, Bitcoin is a whole new monetary system, and we’re only just beginning to see what it might do.

The idea of an asset growing from $90,000 to $1 million in eight years is extremely attractive. It may happen — Bitcoin has gained over 400% since December 2017. However, it is an ambitious target, and that level of potential growth comes with corresponding levels of risk. Only allocate a small percentage of your portfolio to cryptocurrencies. That way, you benefit if Bitcoin goes to the moon, without risking your financial security if it falls to the gutter.

Crypto

Debate Brews Over Crypto Kiosks As Lawmakers Consider Potential Ban

Published

6 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Debate Brews Over Crypto Kiosks As Lawmakers Consider Potential Ban

Lawmakers Consider Crypto ATM Ban as Scam Losses Rise — Including in Central Minnesota

Minnesota lawmakers are considering banning cryptocurrency kiosks as scam losses continue to rise across the state—including in Central Minnesota.

There are currently about 350 crypto kiosks operating statewide, located in places like gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. These machines allow users to deposit cash and convert it into cryptocurrency, which can then be sent electronically.

Law enforcement officials say scammers are increasingly directing victims to use these kiosks because once the money is sent, it is extremely difficult—if not impossible—to recover.

Police say scams often begin with a phone call, text, or online message. In many cases, scammers pose as government officials, tech support workers, or even romantic partners. Victims are eventually told to withdraw cash and deposit it into a crypto kiosk to “protect” their money or resolve a supposed emergency.

Central Minnesota has seen similar cases. Because St. Cloud serves as a regional hub for shopping and services, crypto kiosks are available locally, giving scammers access points to target area residents.

Some say kiosks also serve legitimate users

Despite the concerns, crypto kiosks do offer legitimate benefits. They allow people to purchase cryptocurrency quickly using cash, without needing a traditional bank account, credit card, or online exchange. Supporters say this can make cryptocurrency more accessible, especially for people who prefer cash transactions or have limited access to banking services.

Crypto kiosks can also be used to send money quickly, including international transfers, without relying on traditional wire services. Some users view them as a convenient way to invest in cryptocurrency or move money electronically without going through a bank.

Companies that operate the machines say the vast majority of transactions are legitimate and that kiosks include warnings about scams. They argue the focus should be on stopping scammers, not banning the machines entirely.

Lawmakers weighing next steps

Supporters of the proposed ban say removing the kiosks could help prevent fraud and protect vulnerable residents, particularly older adults. Law enforcement officials told lawmakers that crypto kiosk scams have resulted in significant financial losses statewide.

Minnesota passed regulations in 2024 requiring some safeguards, including limits on deposits for new users and refund requirements in certain fraud cases. But officials say scammers have continued to adapt.

The bill remains under consideration at the Capitol.

In the meantime, authorities urge Central Minnesota residents to be cautious. Officials emphasize that legitimate government agencies, law enforcement, and businesses will never ask someone to deposit cash into a cryptocurrency kiosk.

As cryptocurrency becomes more common, lawmakers are now weighing whether the risks to consumers outweigh the convenience and accessibility these machines provide.

10 (More) Hilariously Bad Google Reviews of Central MN Landmarks

Crypto

Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud: Bizman loses Rs 2.6 cr to crypto, investment fraud | Hyderabad News – The Times of India

Published

18 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Hyderabad: A 69-year-old businessman from Somajiguda lost 2.65 crore allegedly in a cryptocurrency and stock investment fraud. Based on his complaint, Hyderabad Cyber Crime police have registered a case.The complainant was first contacted by a fraudster posing as Ramya Krishnan on Aug 30, 2025 through Facebook. She persuaded the victim to invest in a cryptocurrency and stock trading platform, Polyus Finance PFP Gold, hosted at the domain pfpgoldfx.vip, promising high returns to finance his proposed resort and apparel ventures.Fraudsters provided the victim a contact number for daily communication and sent screenshots showing notional profits credited in his wallet in USDT cryptocurrency. To build trust, the fraudster even allowed the victim a token withdrawal of 4,300 on Sept 12, 2025.Encouraged, the victim transferred over 2.65 crore in 10 transactions between Sept 10 and Dec 39, 2025 to various current accounts provided by the accused.When he attempted to withdraw his ‘earnings’, the accused demanded an additional 15% conversion commission. After he refused, the website became inaccessible and calls to the fraudsters went unanswered.Realising that he was duped, the victim filed an online report on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) before approaching the Cyber Crime police on Feb 25.Based on his complaint, a case was registered under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 111(2)(b) (Organised crime), 318(4) (Cheating), 319(2) (Cheating by personation), 336(3) (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 338 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.) and 340(2) (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Wednesday. Police were analysing financial transactions to identify and arrest the accused.

Crypto

Terror groups receive $1.7b. from Iran through Binance | The Jerusalem Post

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Terror groups receive .7b. from Iran through Binance | The Jerusalem Post

Iranians were able to access more than 1,500 Binance accounts last year, and $1.7 billion was transferred from two of them to terrorist proxies, The New York Times reported Monday.

That was a potential violation of global sanctions, the report said, citing company records and documents collected by internal investigators.

The cryptocurrency exchange site reportedly fired or suspended at least four employees cited in the internal investigation. The company blamed “violations of company protocol” relating to its clients’ data, the Times reported.

The report came days after The Jerusalem Post spoke with experts from blockchain intelligence platform NOMINIS.io about how the Iranian regime was evading Western sanctions through cryptocurrencies.

The regime maintains a steady income using cryptocurrency through oil sales to Russia and China, NOMINIS CEO Snir Levi said at the time.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to failing to implement a program to prevent money laundering, arrives for his sentencing in federal district court in Seattle, Washington. (credit: REUTERS/Deborah Bloom)

Regarding the latest scandal, he told the Post this week: “The latest allegations about Binance come months after the lawsuit by the victims’ families of October 7 – the ongoing Balva [versus] Binance case.

The majority of the allegations can be easily confirmed by on-chain data. There are thousands of cases where money has been sent and received to and from wallets that have clear connections to Iran.”

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is being sued by the families of American victims and hostages of the October 7 massacre. He has been accused of knowingly enabling Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to transfer more than $1b. through its platform, including more than $50 million after the October 7 massacre.

Zhao pleaded guilty to anti-money-laundering violations in connection with Binance in 2023. US President Donald Trump pardoned him last October.

“They say what he did was not even a crime,” Trump told reporters last October. “It wasn’t a crime. That he was persecuted by the Biden administration, and so I gave him a pardon at the request of a lot of very good people.”

Binance representative Rachel Conlan said the accounts linked to the $1.7b. in Iranian transactions have been removed and the relevant authorities were informed.

“Any suggestion that Binance knowingly allowed sanctionable activity to continue unchecked is incorrect and defamatory,” she said, despite Zhao’s earlier admission of anti-money-laundering violations.

More than half a dozen compliance officials have left Binance, including a sanctions manager and the leader of the enterprise compliance team, over the past few months, the Times reported.

“No investigator was dismissed for raising compliance concerns or for reporting potential sanctions issues,” Conlan said in a statement to The Guardian.

Democrat senator opens inquiry into cryptocurrency company

While Conlan insisted there was no wrongdoing, US Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) opened an inquiry into Binance on Tuesday, seeking records of the company’s dealings in Hong Kong , where funds have previously been transferred in a network against sanctions.

“Binance appears to have ignored warnings and recommendations to prevent Iranian money-laundering schemes on its cryptocurrency exchange,” Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Binance co-chief executive Richard Teng.

“According to documents obtained by the Times and the Journal, Binance was even warned that Hexa Whale was financing terrorist organizations such as the Yemeni Houthis, and internal investigators found cryptocurrency transfers to wallets associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and payments to crew members of Russia’s sanctions-evading shadow fleet of oil tankers,” he wrote.

“Instead of actually preventing illicit use, Binance has sought to evade accountability and influence the White House through lobbying and a financial partnership with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the cryptocurrency firm owned by the sons of President Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff… This influence campaign has worked: In May 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it was dismissing a lawsuit against Binance for lying to regulators and mishandling funds, followed in October by the stunning Presidential pardon of founder Changpeng Zhao.”

“The scale of the newly revealed illicit transfers – uncaught until nearly $2 billion flowed to sanctioned entities – and the unexplained firing of internal investigators call into question Binance’s compliance with American sanctions and banking laws, and its 2023 agreement to resolve the previous federal investigation,” Blumenthal wrote.