If people are expecting a Bitcoin bear market in 2026, why buy and hold now?

Hi all. I have a question, pretty much listed in the title. If people are expecting a bitcoin bear market in 2026, and I saw many post saying that they expect a bottom around 50k, 60k, 70k, 80k, etc. Then why buy and hold right now? Wouldn’t it be better to hold cash and buy when the price are lower if people are so convinced that will happen?

I mean it makes sense if your plan is to buy now and hold until it reaches the top (the top in your opinion), and sell to get more cash so you can buy more in the bear market. But 1. That would be trying to time the market, and people usually suggest don’t do that for good reason. 2. People are not saying they would sell at the presumed top, but just buy and hold.

So I am just confused- it seems that it would be contradictory to both believe a bear market/a substantial price drop and also believe buy and hold right now. Can someone please explain the logic behind such a combination of thoughts? Or that people don’t believe these two things in the same time, just different people believe different things.

Right now I have like 80% of my money in bitcoin and bitcoin ETFs, and 20% cash. I am fully onboard on the fiat money printing - your USD is going to forever lose value thing, and that’s why I am in bitcoin. But if I believe next year the bitcoin would crash to 70-80k, I would not feel comfortable holding right now. Call it trying to time the market if you want but still. Like I don’t want to hold stocks if I know it will enter a bear market at a fixed time and the price will be way below current price. I hold stocks because I don’t know when the bear market will be and time in the market beats timing the market.

Hopefully I expressed myself clearly. Appreciate your thoughts on this in advance.