XRP may have spent the past few weeks struggling to hold above the $2 level, but one analyst believes the recent price action is only in its early stages of a much larger surge. For those who think $3 is a reasonable target, this outlook predicted that the real move could take the altcoin far beyond that mark and possibly much sooner than expected. Multi-Stage Price Path With $10 To $20 The $3 price level has become the psychological and technical battleground for bullish XRP investors this cycle, serving as the most active price point. Earlier in January, the token briefly surged past this level, coming within striking distance of its all-time high of $3.40, before a wave of selling pressure triggered a pullback. Related Reading: XRP Price Forms Rounded Bottom Within Descending Channel, Target Set Above $3 Since then, XRP has seen price corrections that pushed it as low as $1.65 on April 7. Yet, the outlook is once again tilting bullish. XRP has rebounded above $2 and is building a strong base to support another run toward $3. If the current momentum continues to gain traction, reclaiming $3 is not only likely, it could happen within a matter of weeks. One of the boldest predictions comes from a trader known as BarriC, who has laid out a roadmap that extends far beyond the $3 threshold. In a recent post on social media platform X, he forecasted that XRP, now trading near $2.20, will break $3 soon. But his outlook doesn’t stop there. He predicted that by May, the sentiment surrounding XRP could shift so drastically that $5 would be seen as the new “cheap” price for XRP. Taking things a step further, the analyst noted that if the broader crypto market transitions into a full-blown altcoin season, XRP could establish a new short-term trading range between $10 and $20 within the next few months. Utility Run Scenario Places “Cheap” XRP Closer To $1,000 Perhaps the most striking part of BarriC’s analysis comes from what he describes as a “utility run.” This utility run is a scenario where XRP’s real-world use cases as a bridge cryptocurrency start to gain adoption and reflect in its price. Under such conditions, the term “cheap XRP” would apply to prices below $1,000. Related Reading: XRP Price Flashes Symmetrical Triangle From 2017, A Repeat Could Send It as Flying To $30 At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $2.14, up by 1.4% in the past 24 hours. As ultra-bullish as it might seem, the analyst’s price prediction isn’t surprising, as the cryptocurrency has been subjected to similar bullish outlooks in the past few days. Beyond bullish price targets, a few analysts now believe that XRP will flip both Ethereum and Bitcoin in the coming months. One such example is analyst Axel Rodd, who cited the breakdown in Bitcoin dominance as a reason why XRP will flip Bitcoin. Similarly, analysts at Standard Chartered recently predicted that the altcoin will flip Ethereum in market cap by 2028. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
The passage of the Genius Act in the U.S., expected in coming months, will further legitimize the stablecoin industry, the report said.
Standard Chartered Research has unveiled a bold forecast that places XRP above Ethereum in market cap within the next five years, underscoring what it describes as a multi-year price rally for the token. The projections, shared by Geoffrey Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, map out annual target levels for XRP, Bitcoin, and Ethereum through 2029. They also indicate a set of key ratios that measure the relative strength of XRP compared to its more established peers. XRP, BTC And ETH Price Predictions In 2025, XRP is expected to reach $5.50, while Bitcoin is forecasted to soar to $200,000 and Ethereum to $4,000. This sets a BTC-XRP ratio—essentially the number of tokens equivalent in value to one Bitcoin—at roughly 39,500. Ethereum would be valued at about 727 times the price of XRP in the same year. Moving into 2026, XRP’s target jumps to $8.00, an almost 45% increase, while Bitcoin is projected to climb to $300,000 and Ethereum to $5,000. The BTC-XRP and ETH-XRP ratios slightly rise and fall respectively, suggesting that while Bitcoin continues to outpace XRP in relative terms, XRP is gaining ground on Ethereum. Related Reading: This Analyst Correctly Called The XRP Price Crash, Here Are The Next Targets By 2027, XRP is expected to trade at $10.40, Bitcoin at $400,000, and Ethereum at $6,000. While XRP’s price nearly doubles from its 2025 level, the BTC-XRP and ETH-XRP ratios (42,000 and 577 respectively) confirm a tightening of the gap, particularly versus Ethereum, where XRP shows stronger relative performance. In 2028, XRP hits its peak in this forecast at $12.50. Bitcoin reaches $500,000 and Ethereum continues its linear ascent to $7,500. Despite the increase, XRP still lags behind in proportional gains to Bitcoin, with the BTC-XRP ratio ticking up to 43,000. However, the ETH-XRP ratio moves slightly higher to 600, signaling that Ethereum begins to regain a bit of ground against XRP. Interestingly, by 2029, Kendrick is projecting a slight decline for XRP to $12.25. Meanwhile, the Standard Chartered analyst predicts Bitcoin to remain flat at $500,000, while Ethereum holds steady at $7,500. Notably, the ETH-XRP ratio increases slightly to 612, and BTC-XRP to 44,500, reflecting a modest erosion of XRP’s relative strength in the final stretch. Still, compared to 2025, XRP ends the forecast period stronger in relative terms against Ethereum, as shown by the ETH-XRP ratio dropping from 727 to 612. XRP Will Flip Ethereum Kendrick’s prediction of XRP overtaking Ethereum in total market cap represents one of the report’s most attention-grabbing assertions. “By the end of 2028 we see XRP’s market cap overtaking Ethereum’s,” he said in a message to The Block. Kendrick attributes this upward trajectory to a confluence of factors, including regulatory developments, growing institutional adoption, and expanding tokenization use cases. He specifically cites Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse’s announcement that the US Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped its appeal in the long-running case. According to Kendrick, this outcome was anticipated in the aftermath of a crypto-friendly stance from Donald Trump’s administration, which he says paved the way for a more favorable regulatory environment. He also expects the SEC to approve an XRP spot ETF by Q3 2025, with possible inflows of up to $8 billion in the first year of listing. Related Reading: XRP Confirms Head And Shoulders Breakdown: How Low Can It Go? Kendrick argues that the token’s fundamental utility in cross-border and cross-currency payments aligns with one of the most rapidly growing use cases in the digital asset space. He observes that stablecoin transaction volumes have surged by roughly 50% each year and, if that growth is mirrored by XRP, the token’s price could climb steadily over the coming years. In parallel, Ripple is moving deeper into tokenization efforts, including the development of tokenized US Treasury bill funds and its own USD-backed stablecoin, RLUSD, which Kendrick believes could bolster XRP’s position further. “XRP’s blockchain, the XRP Ledger, is a payments chain and may become a tokenisation chain,” he said. Despite these promising signs, Kendrick acknowledges that the developer ecosystem remains relatively small compared to those of Ethereum and other major blockchains, which could present a challenge to widespread adoption. Moreover, the token’s low-fee structure, while an attractive feature for payments, might limit its ability to capture additional value from network usage. Notably, Kendrick recently also released an optimistic note about Avalanche’s native token AVAX, projecting it could surge to $250 by 2029. His outlook on Ethereum, however, is less enthusiastic; he recently slashed his 2025 Ether price target by 60% to $4,000 and described ether as an “identified loser,” while championing Bitcoin and AVAX as “identified winners.” At press time, XRP traded at $1.807. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Crypto analyst Tony Severino has provided an update on the Bitcoin price action. The flagship crypto is now eyeing a bullish reversal, but the analyst warned of how things could still go wrong for BTC and mark the end of the bull run. Bitcoin Marks 114 Weeks In Active Buy Signal In an X post, Severino revealed that Bitcoin is still in an active buy signal on the SuperTrend weekly. He added that BTC has been in this buy signal for 114 weeks and roughly 800 days. This is undoubtedly a huge positive for the flagship crypto, especially as it looks to reclaim the psychological $90,000 level and rally to new highs. Related Reading: Is Bitcoin Price Headed For $70,000 Or $300,000? What The Charts Are Saying However, the crypto analyst warned that a sell signal would be a strong sign that the bull run has ended. His accompanying chart showed that the sell signal could send BTC into a Supertrend DownTrend, with the flagship crypto dropping to as low as $22,000 in what could mark the peak of the bear market. Crypto analyst PlanB recently affirmed that the bear market is not here yet. Instead, he believes Bitcoin is still in the middle of a sustainable uptrend and predicts that the flagship crypto’s price could double this year. This could lead to a parabolic rally to as high as $180,000 for BTC. Experts like Standard Chartered have also predicted that a rally to $200,000 this year is achievable. In the meantime, the focus will likely be on how the Bitcoin price reacts to Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, which will go into force on April 2nd. The previous tariffs sparked a wave of sell-offs, causing BTC to drop to as low as $77,000. However, there is also the possibility that Bitcoin has priced in this development and could avoid any further downtrend when the tariffs are implemented on April 2nd. A New ATH This Year Is Possible Crypto analyst Titan of Crypto has also affirmed that Bitcoin could see a new all-time high (ATH) this year. This came as he remarked that BTC’s uptrend is intact and that the flagship crypto reacted strongly around the weekly 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA). His accompanying chart showed that Bitcoin could reach a new ATH of $121,000 before the year runs out. Related Reading: Analyst Says Bitcoin RSI Dominance Needs To Crash To This Level For The Bull Run To Resume In another X post, he again predicted that Bitcoin could reach this target while revealing a ‘Bump and Run’ pattern which was forming for the flagship crypto. Titan of Crypto asserted that the Uphill run will be epic. A positive for BTC is that whales are actively accumulating. Crypto analyst Ali Martinez revealed that over 22,000 coins were withdrawn from exchanges in the past week. At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is trading at around $87,500, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from Tradingview.com
Earlier this morning, Bitcoin (BTC) hit a yearly low of $86,888 amid a broader market downturn. According to data from CoinGlass, the crypto market sell-off led to over $1.5 billion in liquidations in the past 24 hours, impacting 394,944 traders. More Downside For Bitcoin? After trading in the mid-$90,000 range for several weeks, BTC crashed to $86,888 on the Binance cryptocurrency exchange, marking its lowest point this year. The premier cryptocurrency is down 7.6% in the last 24 hours. Related Reading: As Bitcoin Sell Pressure Fades, Could A Local Bottom Be Forming? Analyst Explains Similarly, other major cryptocurrencies have suffered sharp declines. Ethereum (ETH) is down 10.5%, XRP has dropped 14.5%, and Solana (SOL) has plummeted 18.2% in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the total crypto market cap has shrunk by 9%, tumbling from $3.3 trillion to $3.01 trillion over the same period. Despite the sharp market pullback, the worst may not be over for BTC just yet. According to Geoff Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered, Bitcoin could still see further losses. Kendrick noted that while BTC has performed “relatively well,” the flagship cryptocurrency remains caught in a broader market sell-off, partly driven by Solana-based meme coins. He warned that another 10% decline may be on the horizon, potentially pushing Bitcoin’s price down to the low $80,000s. Macroeconomic Uncertainty Weighs On Crypto Further, Kendrick emphasized that although a decline in US Treasury yields could eventually benefit BTC, the large outflows from Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) suggest that “it is not time to buy yet.” In addition to the crypto market downturn, US President Donald Trump reiterated yesterday that his proposed trade tariffs on Canada and Mexico are set to take effect on March 4. As a result, the equity market is expected to open lower today, adding further pressure to risk assets like cryptocurrencies. The uncertainty in equity markets is expected to spill over into the digital assets sector, potentially leading to deeper pullbacks for cryptocurrencies. At the time of writing, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index has dropped to a five-month low of 25, signaling “extreme fear” in the market. Bitcoin’s recent price breakdown aligns with an earlier forecast by seasoned crypto analyst Ali Martinez, who predicted that if BTC broke below $93,400, it could experience significant volatility. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Forecast Of $150,000 ‘Too Low’ Amid Rising Adoption, Crypto Trader Says Beyond the recent price action, other warning signs for BTC indicate that reduced network activity could signal waning overall interest in the asset class. However, despite these headwinds, Bitcoin continues to outperform traditional asset classes like gold and stocks. That said, many industry leaders remain bullish on Bitcoin, viewing the current macroeconomic environment as a “generational opportunity” to accumulate BTC. At press time, BTC trades at $88,150, down 7.6% in the past 24 hours. Featured image from Unsplash, Chart from TradingView.com
Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, Geoffrey Kendrick, has reaffirmed his standout price forecast for Bitcoin. Kendrick, who envisions BTC hitting $500,000 by 2028, bases his conviction on evidence of increasing institutional involvement — specifically pointing to sovereign wealth funds, state pension funds, and other large-scale investors. Sovereign Wealth Funds Enter The Bitcoin Fray According to a new report from Standard Chartered cited by The Block, Kendrick sees growing signs that government-backed investment vehicles are ramping up their interest in Bitcoin. This view is reinforced by Abu Dhabi’s recent disclosure of a 4,700 BTC-equivalent position in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) via its sovereign wealth fund. Related Reading: Bitcoin Presents A ‘Generational Opportunity’ As Global Turmoil Intensifies, Says Bitwise Executive “While this is small for now, we would expect the size to increase over time and, indeed, for other sovereigns to also start buying,” Kendrick wrote in the Tuesday report. He explained that Abu Dhabi’s move marks a strategic shift and could presage broader participation from other wealth funds looking to diversify their portfolios with BTC. Kendrick’s confidence is partly rooted in Form 13F filings — quarterly reports that institutional managers overseeing at least $100 million in assets are required to file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Reviewing data from the fourth quarter of 2024, Kendrick noted a compelling trend. “The 13F filings for Q4 show that process is underway…It is happening,” he said in an email to The Block. In Standard Chartered’s analysis, Q4 data revealed that while hedge funds maintained their lead in Bitcoin purchases, banks — which began buying in Q3 of last year — also ramped up their positions. Kendrick drew parallels between an earlier stage in Bitcoin’s market evolution, dominated by retail investors, and the more recent era, which saw hedge funds jump aboard through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Now, the spotlight appears to be broadening further to include state investment managers and central banks. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Big Breakout? Fed’s “Not QE, QE” Just Flipped The Switch “This gives us comfort to say that even if buying by Strategy… [formerly MicroStrategy] slows down dramatically (it has bought a staggering 227k BTC since the US election, more than 1% of the ever-to-exist supply), we think other buyers are waiting to step in,” Kendrick noted. The mention of MicroStrategy underscores just how significant one private company’s bitcoin holdings can be. Yet Standard Chartered’s analysis suggests that other large, patient pools of capital might absorb future supply, thus supporting higher prices over the long term. Among the institutions, Kendrick highlights the State of Wisconsin Investment Board and the State of Michigan Department of the Treasury. However, he also points to central banks as potential new participants. In the report, Kendrick references the Czech National Bank, which has considered allocating up to 5% of its €140 billion in reserves into bitcoin, and notes that the Swiss National Bank is in the early stages of contemplating a similar move. These developments could further bolster bitcoin’s legitimacy as a store of value on par with more traditional asset classes. “As institutional access to bitcoin improves and volatility declines, we expect more portfolios to migrate towards their optimal level from an underweight Bitcoin starting point,” Kendrick concluded. At press time, BTC traded at $95,581. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Crypto analyst CryptoCon has reaffirmed that a Bitcoin price rally to the $166,000 target is still in play. The analyst further revealed what needs to happen for the flagship crypto to reach this ambitious price target. What Determines The Bitcoin Price Rally To $166,000 In an X post, CryptoCon stated that the Bitcoin price simply needs to mirror its last year’s move in order to reach the next rung on this hyper-accurate extension in March. His accompanying chart showed that the next rung is at the $166,000 price level. Meanwhile, Bitcoin recorded a significant price rally between January 2024 and March 2024, a historical move CryptoCon believes the flagship crypto needs to mirror to reach this target. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Crash Not The End Of The Road As Analyst Shares Roadmap To $200,000 The analyst remarked that it might seem ridiculous, but he asserted that a run to this $166,000 target next month is not far-fetched. A few days ago, CryptoCoon predicted that the Bitcoin price could rally to $160,000 in the next thirty days, meaning it could hit this target by next month. These predictions undoubtedly provide some optimism, especially considering the downward pressure that the flagship crypto is currently facing. Meanwhile, CryptoCon also suggested that there was the possibility of the Bitcoin rally to $166,000 taking longer. However, he added that the cycle isn’t over, and this price target isn’t going anywhere, indicating that BTC will reach it in this bull market. Market experts like research firm Matrixport have also predicted that Bitcoin could rally to $160,000 this year. Meanwhile, asset manager Bitwise predicted that the Bitcoin price would rally to $200,000 this year. Standard Chartered also asserted that BTC reaching around $200,000 by year-end is achievable. State Of Things For BTC Crypto analyst CrediBULL Crypto provided some insights into the current Bitcoin price action. In an X post, he stated that BTC is still holding the higher timeframe support zone at $94,553. As long as BTC continues to hold this support zone, he expects some further consolidation around this area. Related Reading: Bitcoin 4th Wave Ends With Price Crash To $91,000, 5th Wave Shows $210,000 Is Coming The crypto analyst also drew attention to a potential PO3 that was forming for the Bitcoin price at these levels. He remarked that he would like to see a move below the lows at $94,100 and then reclaim and push to local supply right above the last local highs. Crypto analyst Ali Martinez also confirmed that the Bitcoin price is in a consolidation phase. He revealed that BTC’s accumulation trend score is zero, which signals a period of consolidation. The crypto analyst added that a shift in demand here could set the stage for the next big move. At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is trading at around $95,800, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com
In a recent client note, Standard Chartered’s Head of Digital Assets Research, Geoff Kendrick, predicted that Bitcoin (BTC) could surge to $500,000 by the end of 2028. The executive attributed BTC’s potential extraordinary price rise to two major factors. Factors Propelling BTC Price While 2024 was a landmark year for the world’s largest cryptocurrency – seeing it reach multiple all-time highs (ATH) and surpass $100,000 for the first time – 2025 has seen more moderate price action. Since January 1, BTC has climbed from around $94,000 to $98,486 as of February 5. Related Reading: Bitcoin Holds Steady Amid NASDAQ Decline, Analyst Calls It ‘Extremely Bullish’ However, Kendrick believes that from the latter half of 2025 through 2028, Bitcoin could enter another parabolic growth phase. He forecasts BTC reaching $200,000 by the end of 2025, $300,000 by the end of 2026, $400,000 by the end of 2027, and ultimately $500,000 by the end of 2028. Kendrick attributes this ambitious price trajectory to two key factors: improved investor access and decreasing volatility. The approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US in January 2024 significantly simplified investor access to BTC. Additionally, as Bitcoin’s price and market capitalization grow, its volatility has been decreasing. A larger market cap makes it more difficult for any single trader or entity to manipulate BTC’s price. Kendrick expects this trend to continue as ETF markets mature and supporting financial infrastructure within the crypto market strengthens. Kendrick added: The ETFs have attracted a net $39 billion of inflows so far, supporting the theory of pent-up demand being unleashed by increased access. Donald Trump’s January 23 order that the administration evaluate a potential national digital assets stockpile is also important, as this could encourage other central banks to consider Bitcoin investments. If Trump’s administration moves forward with establishing a national digital assets reserve, Bitcoin’s volatility could decline even further. This could attract traditionally risk-averse investors who were previously hesitant due to BTC’s price swings. Bitcoin Price Forecasts Have Bullish Undertones Over the past few days, BTC has faced increased volatility, briefly plummeting to $91,000 amid concerns over US trade tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. However, analysts remain confident in Bitcoin’s long-term bullish outlook. Related Reading: Bitcoin Withstands DeepSeek Dip And FOMC Volatility – How Close Is A New ATH? For instance, seasoned crypto trader Alex Becker recently stated that a $150,000 price target for BTC is too conservative. Likewise, a report by CryptoQuant predicts BTC could reach anywhere between $145,000 and $249,000 under a Trump administration. On-chain data also suggests that Bitcoin ‘whales’ – investors controlling crypto wallets with large BTC holdings – are positioning themselves for a bullish price trajectory, signaling confidence in BTC’s long-term growth under the Trump regime. At press time, BTC trades at $98,486, down 1.3% in the past 24 hours. Featured image from Unsplash, Chart from TradingView.com
There is a danger that forced or panic selling could lead to further bitcoin weakness and a break below $90K could lead to a 10% retracement, the report said.
Standard Chartered has obtained a license to provide crypto custody services in Luxembourg, according to a Jan. 9 statement. The approval falls under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, which provides a unified regulatory approach for crypto businesses across the European Union. MiCA requires companies to obtain a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) license from […]
The post Standard Chartered obtains crypto custody license in Luxembourg under MiCA framework appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Banking giant Standard Chartered is debuting crypto services in Europein Europe via its new Luxembourg entity after securing a digital asset license under the MiCA framework.
Bitcoin (BTC) price surged beyond $100,000 yesterday, propelled by multiple positive developments throughout the year. The flagship cryptocurrency’s ascent has led Standard Chartered to predict that BTC could double in price to $200,000 by the end of 2025. Bitcoin Can Double In Price By 2025 End, Predicts Standard Chartered Bitcoin, the top digital asset with […]
A Republican sweep is the best result for the digital assets sector and could bring positive regulatory change, the report said.
According to Geoff Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, Bitcoin (BTC) dropping below $60,000 due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East could offer a prime buying opportunity. Bitcoin Below $60,000, A Buying Opportunity? As tensions between Iran and Israel intensify, risk-on assets like Bitcoin may face a downturn as investors […]
The Fed is likely to cut rates later Wednesday, starting the so-called liquidity easing cycle.
Bitcoin is expected to end the year at new all-time highs regardless of who wins the U.S. election, the report said.
Due to regulatory hurdles, XRP failed to initiate a significant rally alongside other notable cryptocurrency assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum in the 2021 bull cycle. There has been much speculation about when the altcoin will surge again. However, a market expert has recently shared insights into when the actual price impact for XRP will develop, indicating a positive future for the crypto asset. Real Price Impact For XRP On The Horizon SMQKE, an observer and researcher of Current Tech Shift, has disclosed the period for the much-anticipated rally for XRP to come to light, emphasizing the key developments that may influence the value of the digital asset in the future. Related Reading: Crypto Analyst Predicts 42,263% Breakout For XRP Price To $280, Here’s The Roadmap The expert bases his prediction on the recent developments around the Ripple-Russia Presentation, which implies that major confirmation was provided that all of the big banks that have teamed up with Ripple, including leading banks that are crucial to the system, such as Standard Chartered, Santander, and Bank of America, are currently running in test mode. “If these major banks are still in the testing phase, it means they have not yet fully integrated Ripple’s technology into their daily operations,” he added. Because of this, SMQKE believes that XRP has been unable to move significantly despite its potential utility. XRP may be struggling to undergo a major price upswing, but SMQKE asserts that this development is encouraging for XRP’s future because systemically important banks are participating in the ongoing testing. As a result, the researcher is confident that after the tests are over and the big banks have transitioned to full-scale adoption of Ripple’s technology, the real price effect for XRP will take place. This is because once these tests are successfully concluded, there will be a greater need for XRP as a utility asset in financial transactions, potentially resulting in a sharp increase in the altcoin price. Current State Of The Market In A “Wait And See” Phase According to the expert, the market could be in a “wait and see” phase. This is because investors might be delaying pushing up XRP’s price until they see definite evidence of widespread acceptance and regulatory certainty around the asset. Related Reading: XRP Set To Explode? Top Analyst Predicts $33 Rally The legal litigation between Ripple and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been a major roadblock for the potential of XRP. SMQKE’s insights suggest that investors await the lawsuit’s conclusion before pouring massive capital into the crypto asset market. If the lawsuit ends and Ripple’s technology integration tests with big banks go live, there is a good chance that the value of XRP will witness a notable price rally, possibly to new all-time highs. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
Analysts from leading international cross-border bank, Standard Chartered have made a bold prediction that Bitcoin could witness a significant rise to new all-time highs above $73,700. This projection, slightly higher than the cryptocurrency’s previous peak, comes with an unexpected and wholly ambitious timeline. Bitcoin Poised To Reach New All-Time Highs Geoff Kendrick, Head of EM FX Research, West and Crypto Research, Standard Chartered, has made a bullish prediction for Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency. In an email to TheBlock, Kendrick stated that Bitcoin is poised to break out of its previous all-time high on March 14, 2024, to witness a massive surge to approximately $73,798. Related Reading: Crypto Market Liquidations Top $330 Million In 24 Hours With Ethereum In The Lead The analyst has projected a rather grandiose timeline for this bullish rally, expecting Bitcoin to hit the forecasted price target by the weekend. Kendrick attributed this potential price increase to the recent inflows into Spot Bitcoin ETFs. Earlier on May 21, data from Farside investors indicated that Spot Bitcoin ETFs had recorded their best inflow week in the last two months. The digital asset saw over $305.7 million in inflows, with BlackRock’s Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), amassing the largest inflows of $290 million. Cumulatively, Spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded inflows of more than $13 billion from its launch on January 11 to the present. This increased demand and influx of capital which had been a major contributor to Bitcoin’s previous rise to a new all-time high in March, could propel fresh surges for the cryptocurrency. Kendrick has also disclosed that the possible approval of Ethereum Spot ETFs by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could have a significant impact on Bitcoin’s price dynamics. The analyst has doubled down on his previous price prediction which anticipates Bitcoin’s rise to $150,000 by the end of 2024 and a whopping $200,000 increase in 2025. BTC Price Analysis As of writing, the price of Bitcoin is trading at $70,013, reflecting a slight decline of 1.39% in the last 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap. The cryptocurrency has been on a steady bullish momentum over the past week, experiencing consistent price surges, which have led to a sharp increase of 12.86%. Related Reading: Solana Cup And Handle Pattern Means An At Least 90% Move Against Ethereum, Analyst Says Popular crypto analyst, Michael van de Poppe has reported that Bitcoin is up more than 20% since its previous lows of $56,000 earlier this year. The approval of an Ethereum Spot ETF could see the cryptocurrency’s price potentially rising more, following previous patterns when the SEC’s approval of Spot Bitcoin ETFs triggered a major price spike for the pioneer cryptocurrency. This sentiment for a bullish breakout is shared by crypto analyst Ali Martinez, who has asserted that Bitcoin is currently showing a strong potential for further gains, underscoring the cryptocurrency’s robust price potential and strong fundamentals. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
Many market analysts recently changed their stance after the SEC unexpectedly requested that aspiring Ether exchange-traded fund exchanges update their 19b-4 filings before a deadline this week.
The bank made the forecast based on its expectation that spot Bitcoin ETFs could attract inflows of $50-100 billion in 2024.
An earlier-than-expected spot bitcoin ETF in the U.S. could be the catalyst, said the bank.