2025 was supposed to be the year for crypto.

Instead, it delivered all-time highs… followed by one of the most confusing pullbacks we’ve seen in years. Bitcoin hit new records, then gave them back. Altcoins struggled. Expectations got wrecked. And everyone was left asking the same question:

What the hell just happened?

In Episode 799 of The Bad Crypto Podcast, Joel and Travis close the books on 2025 and look ahead to what 2026 might bring — without pretending they have a crystal ball.

They break down:

Why 2025 felt bullish on paper but disappointing in reality
The massive liquidation event that changed market momentum overnight
Why the four-year cycle may already be broken
How Bitcoin behaved more like a “stablecoin” than a risk asset this year
Why nation-states, ETFs, and institutions are quietly reshaping the market
What macro factors, liquidity, elections, and money printing could mean next
Why zooming out still tells a very different story than staring at short-term charts

The guys debate whether Bitcoin is gearing up for another major leg higher or settling into a new kind of market entirely — one driven less by retail euphoria and more by institutions, governments, and global liquidity.

It’s part recap, part reality check, part cautious optimism… and a reminder that after nine years and nearly 800 episodes, Bad Crypto is still here, still asking the hard questions, and still bullish on the long game.

As the calendar flips to 2026 and Episode 800 looms, this is your moment to reflect, recalibrate, and remember why you got into crypto in the first place.

Out with the old.
In with the new.
And as always…

Stay bad.

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2025 Cryptocurrency Recap - What went right and what went wrong?