It may be true or it may be not because we don't have that crystal ball that can tell the future. We only based our speculations on trending, forecast from reliable person of this trade. In my opinion only whales can say that bitcoin's price will go to a certain value because they can manipulate if they want to. There is a speculation that bitcoin could go as high $50K this year, but then again it is only speculation of some persons.
A whale can't manipulate, but a group of whale can, if someone who has the popularity saying things about bitcoin, it will surely a little or more giving affect to the psychology of the traders. If they believe what this people said, for example, the price will go up, and they will put their trust, starting buying bitcoin, and creating that speculation to be true.
This is why many people keeps on repeating how bitcoin could go up hitting new ATH. because they want to make people believe about it.