Coinbase CEO Maintains $400K Bitcoin Forecast Amid 5.4% BTC Slide

Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, continues to see Bitcoin (BTC) hitting $400,000 by 2030. That target would require a 420% increase from the current price of around $76,930.

The prediction comes as Bitcoin experiences heightened volatility. Over the last seven days, the leading digital asset dropped 5.4%, remaining roughly 39% beneath its peak of over $126,000 set in October 2025.

Armstrong Reads the Clock, Not the Chart

During a CNBC interview, Armstrong stated that Bitcoin follows four-year cycles that include surges, euphoria, and corrections. He noted that most downturns last about a year, and the current correction has now exceeded that timeframe.

“Most of the down periods last about a year, and we have actually just come across the 1-year mark for this down period, so I personally believe that the bottom is in on BTC in its most recent cycle,” he said.

Armstrong highlighted two developments on the horizon. He pointed to the CLARITY Act, which is scheduled for a procedural Senate vote on September 15.

The second catalyst is the upcoming Bitcoin halving, roughly 18 to 19 months out. Armstrong anticipates a typical pre-halving rally.

“I think the next year or two is going to be good for Bitcoin,” he added.

The Front-Running Trade Does the Heavy Lifting

Analyst Jesse Myers observes a similar cyclical pattern. According to him, Bitcoin saw gains of roughly 100 times after the 2012 halving, 30 times after the 2016 halving, and 8 times after the 2020 halving, with traders starting to front-run the event in 2024.

“If the same pattern plays out this cycle, the next 1.6 years could be the most explosive time for BTC,” Myers wrote.

If the previous cycle repeats, Bitcoin would rise fourfold from its $58,000 low to $232,000 by the April 2028 halving, then double to $464,000 in late 2029. That trajectory would surpass Armstrong's $400,000 target.

Bitcoin Demand Has Not Caught Up Yet

However, these projections depend on a market that currently shows limited buying interest. The 90-day cumulative volume delta for spot markets remains neutral, with the recent recovery led by futures traders.

Institutional demand is also appearing less robust. US spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $986.9 million in the week ending September 4, extending a three-week inflow streak totaling approximately $3.8 billion.

That streak is now at risk. The current week has recorded $166.9 million in net outflows. One more negative week would break the three-week inflow sequence.