Van Eck CEO Managing Billions of Dollars Says, “If This Happens, We’ll Walk Away from Bitcoin,” Names One Altcoin

VanEck CEO Jan van Eck, in his assessment on the Power Lunch program broadcast on CNBC, said that the recent sell-off in the market was no coincidence and that investors had started to take positions for the upcoming bear trend.

According to Van Eck, Bitcoin will likely perform poorly in 2026, consistent with its historical cycle.

Van Eck stated that they continue to advocate for Bitcoin's inclusion in portfolios, but that price cycles shouldn't be ignored. Recalling that the company has declared Bitcoin a long-term investment vehicle since 2017, Van Eck said, “We've seen Bitcoin experience a negative year after the halving cycle, which occurs every four years. There's a high probability that 2026 will be a similar year.” He added that this is why many investors are selling after the peak seen in October.

Van Eck noted that Bitcoin's rise this cycle has been more limited compared to previous bull periods, adding that this situation creates expectations that the potential decline could also be more limited. However, he noted that macro liquidity conditions and on-chain data continue to be decisive in investment decisions.

Van Eck also addressed the security and privacy issues currently being debated within the Bitcoin ecosystem. The CEO noted that quantum computing could pose risks to cryptographic infrastructures in the future, and that this is why some Bitcoin maximalists are interested in projects like Zcash (ZEC), which offer greater privacy. Nevertheless, Van Eck maintained that his Bitcoin thesis remains strong, saying, “If the fundamental argument breaks down, we'll move away from Bitcoin, but we don't see that happening right now.”