Best Crypto to Buy: Bitcoin Price Forecast and 2022 Outlook from 9 Experts

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The year 2021 was a watershed moment for the cryptocurrency market. With total market capitalization surging from under $800 billion to an all-time high of $2.3 trillion, digital assets captured global attention like never before. Institutional adoption accelerated, high-profile companies integrated crypto into their balance sheets, and mainstream culture embraced NFTs, decentralized finance (DeFi), and the emerging metaverse.

As we transitioned into 2022, industry leaders and financial strategists offered their insights on what lies ahead — from bitcoin price predictions and altcoin recommendations to regulatory trends and technological shifts shaping the future of blockchain.

This comprehensive outlook compiles expert forecasts from nine influential voices across exchanges, hedge funds, research firms, and analytics platforms. Their analysis covers key themes such as market decoupling, blockchain interoperability, staking growth, and the rise of multi-chain ecosystems.

The 2021 Crypto Surge: A Foundation for 2022

2021 wasn't just about price spikes — it was a year of structural development. Bitcoin reached nearly $69,000, driven by strategic investments from firms like MicroStrategy and Tesla, while El Salvador made history by adopting BTC as legal tender. Ethereum soared past $4,800, fueled by explosive growth in DeFi, NFTs, and metaverse projects.

Venture capital poured over $30 billion into blockchain startups, signaling strong confidence in Web3's long-term potential. Meanwhile, platforms like Solana, Avalanche, and Polygon gained traction as scalable alternatives to Ethereum, challenging its dominance with faster transactions and lower fees.

However, increased visibility brought scrutiny. Regulatory concerns around stablecoin reserves and rising scams — with over $7.7 billion stolen in crypto fraud — highlighted the need for greater oversight. Despite this, experts remained optimistic that 2022 would bring maturation, innovation, and broader adoption.

👉 Discover how top investors are positioning their portfolios for the next crypto wave.

Hong Fang, CEO of Okcoin: Builders Will Lead the Next Bull Cycle

For Hong Fang, 2021 was a year defined by builders — developers creating decentralized applications and artists exploring NFTs. This foundational work signals strong long-term potential.

While she previously predicted bitcoin could reach $100,000 by year-end — a target that didn’t materialize — Fang remains "very bullish" on crypto’s future due to sustained inflows of capital and talent.

“It is a free market but also one driven by human behavior — and human behavior is not rational at all.”

She emphasizes that emotional swings often drive short-term volatility. However, over the medium to long term, fundamentals matter most.

A key trend she anticipates is the decoupling of crypto assets from bitcoin. As investors better understand individual blockchains’ unique value propositions, performance correlations will weaken.

This shift reflects a maturing market where investors evaluate projects beyond mere speculation.

Jesse Powell, CEO of Kraken: NFTs Are Just Getting Started

Jesse Powell believes fears of a prolonged "crypto winter" are overblown. With bitcoin outperforming every other asset class over the past decade, he sees dips below $40,000 as buying opportunities.

His outlook for 2022 centers on NFTs becoming a major force — not just as digital collectibles but as functional tools in areas like provenance tracking, lending, and identity verification.

“I think next year is really going to be the year of NFTs.”

From an investment perspective, Powell highlights decentralized worlds — virtual environments built on blockchains — as platforms poised for growth. These ecosystems integrate gaming, social interaction, and ownership economics through tokenized assets.

He expects increasing regulatory clarity to further legitimize the space, encouraging more institutional participation.

Kyle Samani, Managing Partner at Multicoin Capital: Real Utility Is Here

Kyle Samani argues that today’s crypto ecosystem is fundamentally different from the 2017 bubble. Back then, hype far outpaced functionality. Now?

“This time around, everything works.”

His fund focuses on protocols with strong technological fundamentals:

Samani expects these assets — and others like them — to decouple from bitcoin’s price movements. Their value stems from real-world use cases rather than speculative momentum.

He views the next market downturn not as a collapse but as a natural consolidation phase where only projects with actual utility survive.

Armando Aguilar, Fundstrat Global Advisors: Altcoin Diversification Strategy

Armando Aguilar expects bitcoin to hit six figures in early 2022 despite macro headwinds like Fed tapering, inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty.

He forecasts Ethereum surpassing $9,000, driven by continued DeFi expansion and NFT innovation. With nearly 25% of all VC funding in 2021 going to DeFi projects, adoption is accelerating.

Aguilar monitors six categories of high-conviction altcoins:

This diversified approach reflects the growing complexity of the crypto landscape — no single chain dominates anymore.

👉 Explore which altcoins top-tier funds are adding to their portfolios right now.

Tony Fenner-Leitão, Cambrian Asset Management: Regulation as Catalyst

For Fenner-Leitão, 2022 will be defined by regulation. His firm operates under JPMorgan custody — a rare feat in crypto — underscoring the importance of compliance.

He believes clearer rules will boost investor confidence by defining:

“Tokens are early-stage projects exploring new economic models — not securities.”

Regulation won’t stifle innovation; instead, it will separate legitimate builders from speculators.

James Malcolm, UBS FX Strategist: Interoperability Is the Next Big Thing

Malcolm identifies three core trends shaping 2022:

1. Regulation: A Double-Edged Sword

While some fear overreach, he sees regulation as inevitable and ultimately positive — paving the way for institutional adoption.

2. Growing Influence

Mainstream companies like Robinhood and Meta are embedding crypto into their strategies. Avoiding crypto will soon be impossible.

3. Fundamentals Over Hype

The next frontier? Blockchain interoperability — enabling cross-chain communication and value transfer.

This shift breaks the linear link between blockchain activity and token prices. Instead, investors will compare coins based on:

“The future is about relative value — playing alpha within crypto, not just riding beta.”

Brian Mosoff, Ether Capital: Five Trends Defining 2022

1. Solana Gains Momentum

With strong developer support using Rust (vs. Ethereum’s Solidity), Solana is a leading Ethereum competitor.

2. Short-Term Ether Sell-Off

Tax-related selling after a bullish year may pressure ETH prices early in 2022.

3. Regulation in Focus

U.S. policy decisions will influence global crypto markets.

4. Rise of DAOs

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations enable borderless collaboration — but challenge regulators.

5. Staking Goes Mainstream

More investors will turn idle holdings into yield-generating assets via staking.

“Staking transforms unproductive commodities into income streams.”

Mike McGlone, Bloomberg Intelligence: Crypto Outperforms Stocks & Bonds

McGlone sees top cryptos outperforming traditional assets in 2022 due to:

He remains bullish on:

“When a new asset class outperforms incumbents, naysayers have little choice but to join in.”

Traditional asset managers ignoring crypto risk falling behind.

Alex Svanevik, CEO of Nansen: The Multi-Chain Universe Rises

High Ethereum gas fees pushed users toward alternatives. Svanevik identifies six “Ethereum killers” gaining ground:

  1. Avalanche (AVAX) – Partnered with Deloitte; fast finality
  2. Binance Smart Chain (BSC) – Low-cost alternative with massive user base
  3. Fantom (FTM) – High throughput with low latency
  4. Polygon (MATIC) – Leading Ethereum sidechain
  5. Solana (SOL) – Scalable layer-one with vibrant ecosystem
  6. Terra (LUNA) – Focused on algorithmic stablecoins and DeFi
“The rise of the multi-chain universe could be a huge theme in 2022.”

Investors must now navigate a fragmented but innovative landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the most likely bitcoin price forecast for 2022?
A: Most experts predict bitcoin will reach six figures in early 2022, supported by institutional demand and macro tailwinds like inflation hedging.

Q: Will altcoins continue to grow independently of bitcoin?
A: Yes. As real-world utility increases across DeFi, NFTs, and infrastructure projects, altcoins are expected to decouple from BTC’s price movements.

Q: Which altcoins do experts recommend most frequently?
A: Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), Polygon (MATIC), and Ethereum (ETH) appear most often across expert lists due to scalability and ecosystem strength.

Q: How will regulation impact crypto in 2022?
A: Regulation may initially create uncertainty but is expected to enhance legitimacy and encourage institutional investment over time.

Q: Are NFTs more than just digital art?
A: Absolutely. Experts highlight use cases in gaming, identity verification, intellectual property rights, and financial instruments beyond collectibles.

Q: Is now a good time to start staking crypto?
A: Yes. With growing confidence in blockchain stability, staking offers passive income opportunities on assets like ETH, SOL, and AVAX.

👉 Start earning yield through staking with secure, low-fee platforms today.

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