Bitcoin's year-end showing has been rough—down 20% since November kicked off. Meanwhile, gold climbed 9% and the S&P 500 managed a modest 1% gain. The gap widening between crypto and traditional assets is hard to ignore. But here's where it gets interesting: data intelligence firm Santiment reckons 2026 could flip the script. They're banking on crypto playing catch-up as market conditions shift. Whether that pans out depends on what happens next, but the contrast between Bitcoin's struggles and other assets' steadiness is definitely worth watching for anyone tracking portfolio performance.