Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan Names the 4 ‘Must-Own’ Crypto Assets for the 2026 Cycle

Jakarta, Pintu News – Bitwise’s Chief Investment Officer, Matt Hougan, has selected four “must-have” crypto assets for this cycle: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and Chainlink (LINK).

Given that the market is languishing deep in bear market territory and the Bitcoin price is trading more than 40% below its October 2025all-time high, Hougan’s statement carries a lot of weight. Bitwise manages over $15 billion in client assets and has consulted central banks on digital asset strategies.

While speaking on the “When Shift Happens” podcast, Hougan laid out specific reasons for each of his chosen assets, instead of just sticking to the trend of excessive market speculation.

Why Bitcoin Remains Hougan’s Leading Crypto Choice

Read also: “Discount” Signals Emerge in Bluechip Crypto Assets: Will BTC, ETH, XRP, ADA, & LINK Rebound?

Hougan calls Bitcoin the only clear winner in its category. “I am very confident that Bitcoin will win the monetary asset space as astore of value for digital gold. I think the competition is over and Bitcoin is the winner,” he said.

For other categories, including smart contract platforms where Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche compete, Hougan suggests buying a “basket” of assets (diversification) instead of betting on a single winner.

Bitcoin heading for $500K? Hougan says market ignores state purchases

The biggest surprise came from Hougan’s views onsovereign buying of Bitcoin.

He says that the market is currently pricing in a near 0% probability that the US government will actively buy Bitcoin outside of their confiscated assets. However, Hougan puts the probability at 10-25%.

“If that happens, I think the price will jump to half a million dollars or more almost immediately,” he says.

Bitwise itself has been in communication with various central banks.Sovereign wealth funds in Abu Dhabi and Luxembourg are known to have started buying. This process is real but moving at the slow pace of central banks, something the crypto market has consistently ignored.

Read also: 17 Reasons XRP Price Will Be Bullish According to CryptoBull Analysts

Why Chainlink Could Be the “Sleeper Pick” of 2026

Hougan’s most interesting choice is probably Chainlink. His argument is based on one thesis: if stablecoins and tokenization develop as expected, then oracles will become essential infrastructure, and Chainlink dominates that market.

“There are hundreds of trillions of dollars in equities. Even more in bonds and real estate,” Hougan said, framing tokenization as a much bigger opportunity than just stablecoins.

Major institutions including NYSE, NASDAQ, BlackRock, and Goldman Sachs have all signaled a shift to blockchain-based infrastructure. Hougan compares the current moment to the early days of ETF adoption, a trend that was constantly underestimated by skeptics.

Bitwise has launched its Chainlink ETF (CLNK) on NYSE Arca in January 2026, and the presence of this Chainlink ETF is seen as a major catalyst for LINK’s future price movements.

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*Disclaimer

This content aims to enrich readers’ information. Pintu collects this information from various relevant sources and is not influenced by outside parties. Note that an asset’s past performance does not determine its projected future performance. Crypto trading activities are subject to high risk and volatility, always do your own research and use cold hard cash before investing. All activities of buying and selling Bitcoin and other crypto asset investments are the responsibility of the reader.

Reference:

• Coingape. Bitwise CIO Names BTC, ETH, SOL, and LINK as ‘Mount Rushmore’ of Crypto. Accessed on February 27, 2026
• Coinpedia. Bitwise CIO Names 4 Crypto Assets to Own in 2026 as Bear Market Deepens. Accessed on February 27, 2026