My thoughts has to be guided by timeframe so what's the expected timeframe we're looking at here. Since there non suggested by the OP I'll use the most common timeframe trending now which is by the end of the year. I think it won't be fair for we to be expecting bitcoin to surpass it's previous all time high of $20k especially after bitcoin has to spend the most part of the year recovering from the pandemic outbreak effect on the economy globally that let to bitcoin decline of -50% or so.

After the hit the market has been recovering steadily and it's doing great number. Rised +50% since the previous market corrections. Currently trading at $11800+ is a positive signs the trading mark of $15k would soon be surpass which meant drive the price higher to $20k and beyond but like I previously said am not 100% certain that it can be possible within this year but very possible in 2021.

maybe whales are taking advantage of this situation


It is definitely possible that there has been more adoption in the last few months, but I don't think it is a very large number of adoptions.


Look at this:

Bitcoin Whales Bought the Dip, Data Shows as $1.2B Leaves Exchanges


it looks like this time we’ll see $ 15,000 again

Basically we're not far as you thought about us seeing another all time high. If the current movement of Bitcoin if pass the $11.8k then we're heading towards the $12+k zones which will mean another boost for another gradual all time high.
My expectations are very high if you ask me, the current situation in the cryptocurrency market if correct has the possible of institutional investment trooping into the market which will give a Major boost. Am seeing a price of Bitcoin around $30k before the end of 2020.

Are you saying you don't believe bitcoin will ever reach beyond 20k again? Or just this year?

Just my simple prediction if the market price of the bitcoin today will rise up to the 12k market price there is a chance that it will rapidly increase into the 15k market price and this is a good thing for the investor who made an entry point into the 3k and above this is a huge market profit to them so does not need to worry about the profit they will get. Still, I'm hoping for this comeback of the market price of the coin because from the previous halving i didn't know too much the use of the bitcoin but right now I fully support the use of this coin.

If this may happen this is my one of the most memorable halving in my life, the market is volatile this is the truth but still I believe on the law of attraction the same with you guys.

A new ATH will happen . Many are expecting for it to happen and we are just $8k away from reaching it.

The only question is "WHEN". When it will happen. Will it happen next year?? This 2nd half of 2020?? In the next 3 years. The only thing we can do now is to predict into when this will happen. I don't think too that it will happen next year because of the pandemic. Maybe if the virus will be controlled and there is a new vaccine already that is available to the public then maybe we can see crypto market to rise further more.

The new coming ATH is really intense to see nor it was excited and probably no one knows when. I should think about more on the realistic and achievable, and $25k is not really that far for the next Bullrun after $20k ATH last 2017. But even though we can't predict the market flows but I was not thinking that we got that point this year. This year is really a big challenge for crypto and also with the global market, we have those positive insights last year as seeing that halving will give a huge impact on the market but badly we got this pandemic that it affects the momentum. However, we also notified that the crypto market won't let that bad aura puts its declining sentiment but rather to see it move a little bit far.

Yeah, but it just happened and passed by in a blink of an eye. Before I could sell, it dropped again.

Bitcoin, just like any other tradeable asset is manipulatable by the whales. We could only sit and watch.

That parallel movement makes me wonder what the price will be after countries fully recovered from covid-19 impact...but at the same time in the short - middle term most people won't buy or involve in cryptocurrencies since they have difficulty to secure job, foods, rent...except maybe people in counties with a fallen economy where switching to BTC is more secure!
For the ATH I think we may see it at the end of the year if BTC continues its stabilization in +$11k

In my opinion today is better than yesterday this year is also better than last year even though the price of the coin did not go up like 4 years ago but Crypto coin is still slightly improving and starting to rise even though only around 20% but this is increasing the trend so I always think that Covid has made me excited to search for cryto coins and have put in a lot of effort to improve the worldwide economy through crytocurtency