British multinational bank Standard Chartered has revised its price forecasts for Ethereum (ETH), suggesting a more restrained outlook for the next few years. Despite these adjustments, the bank remains optimistic about Ethereum”s long-term potential, projecting it could reach $40,000 by the end of 2030.
In a recent report, Standard Chartered lowered its expectations for Ethereum”s price for the years 2026 through 2028. The bank now anticipates that ETH will reach $7,500 by the close of 2026, a significant drop from its prior estimate of $12,000. Additionally, the forecast for the end of 2028 has been adjusted down from $25,000 to $22,000, primarily due to weaker performance from Bitcoin (BTC), which continues to dominate the digital asset market.
Geoff Kendrick, the global head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered, noted that the lackluster performance of Bitcoin has negatively impacted the outlook for all cryptocurrencies against the US dollar. He stated, “Weaker-than-expected Bitcoin performance has dampened prospects for all digital assets against the USD given Bitcoin”s continued dominance of the sector.”
Despite this cautious short-term outlook, Kendrick believes that 2026 could be a pivotal year for Ethereum, paralleling its significant achievements in 2021. He emphasized the increasing adoption of blockchain technology, the rise of on-chain products, and supportive legislation in the U.S. as crucial factors that could enable Ethereum to outperform its competitors.
One potential catalyst for growth is the anticipated passage of the U.S. CLARITY Act, which would provide a regulatory framework for digital assets. Kendrick indicated that such legislation could significantly benefit Ethereum, particularly by unlocking new opportunities within the decentralized finance (DeFi) space.
Furthermore, Standard Chartered predicts that the ETH-BTC trading ratio will gradually revert to its 2021 levels, approximately 0.08, as Ethereum capitalizes on its unique strengths. These advantages include its leading position in stablecoins, real-world asset applications, and DeFi, alongside advancements in scaling its base layer.
The report also highlighted a slowdown in flows into crypto exchange-traded funds and corporate treasury vehicles, a trend affecting the broader market. However, Ethereum is still experiencing consistent buying from Bitmine Immersion, a major corporate treasury focused on ETH. Currently, Bitmine holds about 3.4% of all Ether in circulation and aims to increase that to 5%.
As for Bitcoin, it is currently trading within a narrow range between $90,000 and $93,000, with no clear catalysts to drive its price higher. As of the latest data, Bitcoin is priced at $92,179, reflecting a 1.7% increase over the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, Ethereum is following suit with minor gains, trading at $3,134.
