Standard Chartered expects Bitcoin to hit new highs of $135,000 by the end of the third quarter of 2025 . The bank also forecasts that Bitcoin will break $200,000 by the end of the year . The bank's optimism is based on growing corporate treasury buying and strong exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows .
Geoff Kendrick, Standard Chartered's head of digital asset research, stated that the common halving trend would have led to price declines in September or October 2025, but due to increased investor flows, Bitcoin has moved beyond the previous dynamic whereby prices fell 18 months after a 'halving' cycle .
Standard Chartered is particularly bullish on Bitcoin, expecting it to hit $500,000 a coin by 2028 . The bank bases its bullish outlook on the growth of institutional demand, decreasing levels of volatility, and increasing capital flows toward digital assets . Kendrick has affirmed that the market has entered a new stage of maturity, where Bitcoin has become a macroeconomic hedge tool .
Furthermore, Standard Chartered expects that Bitcoin will outperform both Ethereum and Solana by the end of 2025 . The bank projects Ethereum to reach $4,000 by the end of 2025 .
Kendrick had previously raised his price forecast for Bitcoin to $200,000 by the end of 2025, up from a previous estimate of only $120,000 . This was driven by inflows of $5.3 billion over three weeks into U.S. spot Bitcoin funds .
Standard Chartered has increasingly positioned itself as a voice in cryptocurrency market analysis . Kendrick's role as head of digital assets represents the bank's commitment to providing insights into this emerging asset class for its clients and investors .