A leading financial analyst has predicted yet another bull run for Bitcoin and its rival Ethereum come 2022 but was quick to warn investors that not everything that glitters in the cryptocurrency scene is gold.

Lyn Alden Investment Strategy founder Lyn Alden predicts that Bitcoin will hit a high of $100,000, while Ethereum would peak at $5,000. Alden’s prediction is based on both altcoins’ performance throughout much of this year, seeing how Bitcoin’s value went up by 56% and even hit a 120% milestone last spring. 

But despite these massive gains, Alden opines that the world’s leading cryptocurrency may only have five to ten more years of positive growth.

“We’re [in the] early to middle stages of Bitcoin’s long-term trajectory,” she said, expressing her belief that the token could hit the $100,000 mark anytime within the next year.

Alden’s prediction skews conservative, given how ARK Invest CEO/CIO Cathie Wood and others say that the altcoin’s value can rise to between $300,000 and $500,000 if it gains critical mass close to the US monetary base.

Currently, any changes to the price of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies tend to be driven by public sentiment, the tone of current headlines, and even the ongoing onslaught of government regulations across the globe. Alden warns that Bitcoin may fail to hit the $100,000 mark because of numerous factors.

However, she adds, “I think that the overall trajectory and [current] buying power is more likely to push it to that level [next year.]”

The increasing interest in cryptocurrencies is the result of heightened anxiety in how central banks worldwide have been expanding the international monetary supply. Bitcoin, in particular, has a capped supply of 21 million, prompting companies like Elon Musk’s Tesla to hoard it as a possible alternative to cash. This hoarding spree was responsible for Bitcoin’s price surge earlier this year, bringing it back into the limelight.

One particular factor that can fuel Bitcoin’s further growth is if more businesses consider it a payment option; another would be increased tolerance and acceptance of cryptocurrencies on the part of the world’s governments. The latter has raised eyebrows in the crypto sector as government regulations are currently causing trouble for Bitcoin and other altcoins of late. However, analysts suggest that proper and unbiased government oversight could give legitimacy to digital assets and give them staying power.

Meanwhile, Ethereum has grown to become the world’s second-largest altcoin as its market capitalization has hit $373 billion. At present, it continues to make changes to its operating framework and is set to pivot to its more stable iteration Ethereum 2.0.