Standard Chartered cuts crypto price targets, warns of more downside ahead

Standard Chartered expects crypto prices to decline further in the coming months before recovering later this year, and has lowered its price targets for multiple major digital assets.

According to digital assets research head Geoffrey Kendrick, the market may see a final capitulation phase, with Bitcoin potentially falling toward $50,000 and Ether toward $1,400 before rebounding. The bank reduced its year-end targets to $100,000 for Bitcoin and $4,000 for Ether, down from prior forecasts.

The bank also cut end-2026 targets for Solana, XRP, BNB, and Avalanche, citing the need to realign altcoin projections with expected moves in Bitcoin and Ether.

Standard Chartered pointed to weakening ETF demand and macro uncertainty as key pressures, noting investors are less likely to buy dips while many ETF holders sit on unrealized losses. Kendrick added that limited policy support is expected until a potential leadership transition at the Federal Reserve involving Kevin Warsh.

Despite the bearish near-term outlook, the bank said the longer-term recovery trend for digital assets remains intact.