Bitcoin’s next major expansion may not be driven by traders, hype cycles, or retail speculation. If Michael Saylor is right, the force reshaping Bitcoin in 2026 will be far more traditional: banks.
Saylor’s outlook for the coming years centers on a quiet but powerful transition already underway. Bitcoin, long viewed as an outsider asset, is steadily being absorbed into the core mechanics of the US financial system.
- Michael Saylor expects 2026 to be bullish as US banks deepen Bitcoin adoption.
- Regulatory clarity in the US is accelerating institutional acceptance.
- Bitcoin-backed lending is emerging as a major growth driver.
- Custody services from major banks could unlock new capital inflows.
For most of its history, Bitcoin existed alongside banks, not within them. That separation is now breaking down. Saylor argues that clearer crypto regulations in the United States have fundamentally changed how banks assess Bitcoin-related risk.
Under Donald Trump, regulatory uncertainty has eased, giving financial institutions confidence that offering Bitcoin services no longer invites regulatory retaliation. As a result, Bitcoin is shifting from a compliance headache to a product banks can actively monetize.
This transition is already visible. Institutions like JPMorgan, BNY Mellon, and Goldman Sachs are no longer experimenting on the fringes. They are building structured exposure for clients.
Lending transforms Bitcoin’s function
Saylor believes the most underestimated development is credit. Once banks accept Bitcoin as collateral, its role changes entirely. It stops being just an asset to hold and becomes an asset to build leverage around.
Bitcoin-backed lending allows holders to unlock liquidity without selling, a feature traditionally reserved for real estate, equities, and government bonds. According to Saylor, a growing share of major US banks have already begun offering some form of Bitcoin-backed credit, laying the groundwork for a full-fledged lending market.
This evolution, he argues, mirrors how other asset classes matured. Gold, stocks, and real estate only reached their full financial potential after credit markets formed around them.
Strategy’s balance sheet as a signal, not the story
Saylor often downplays his own company’s role in the broader shift. While Strategy holds 671,268 BTC and more than $2 billion in cash, he frames this less as a template and more as early proof of concept.
The real signal, in his view, is how many others followed. Hundreds of corporations and institutions now hold Bitcoin as part of treasury operations, collectively controlling millions of coins. That base of long-term holders, combined with bank-led credit expansion, creates conditions for a structurally different market cycle.
Custody opens the floodgates
Another inflection point Saylor highlights is custody. As banks move from offering exposure to safeguarding Bitcoin directly, access widens dramatically.
He expects firms such as Citibank and Charles Schwab to play a key role. Custody services through familiar banking brands lower friction for institutions, pension funds, and high-net-worth clients who previously avoided crypto due to operational risk.
Once custody becomes standard, Bitcoin stops feeling “alternative” and starts behaving like a core financial instrument.
Capital rotation favors Bitcoin’s timing
Saylor also connects Bitcoin’s outlook to broader markets. Strong performance in equities and precious metals does not signal saturation to him – it signals redistribution. Historically, capital rotates once confidence builds.
As gold and stocks absorb inflows, Bitcoin increasingly competes for that capital as a digitally native reserve asset with portability and liquidity advantages. In a banking-driven environment, that competition intensifies.
Saylor’s 2026 thesis is not about retail euphoria or speculative manias. It is about infrastructure catching up to conviction.
If banks continue expanding custody, lending, and client access, Bitcoin’s next bull phase may arrive quietly – powered by balance sheets, credit lines, and institutional plumbing rather than headlines. In that world, Saylor believes 2026 is less about price discovery and more about Bitcoin completing its transition into the financial mainstream.
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Coindoo.com does not endorse or recommend any specific investment strategy or cryptocurrency. Always conduct your own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
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Source: https://coindoo.com/heres-what-could-power-bitcoins-next-bull-market-according-to-michael-saylor/
