Standard Chartered anticipates Bitcoin could hit a record high of $200,000 by the end of 2025, citing strong investor interest and accelerating inflows into exchange-traded funds. Geoff Kendrick, the bank’s head of digital assets research, emphasized that Bitcoin’s outlook has significantly improved due to growing institutional participation and macroeconomic tailwinds.
Macroeconomic Factors Support Price Surge
Kendrick noted that Bitcoin’s price trajectory is closely tied to broader economic conditions. If the United States government shutdown continues, Bitcoin may benefit from its correlation with Treasury term premiums. Investors are increasingly viewing Bitcoin as a hedge against fiscal instability and political uncertainty. Currently trading near $120,456, Bitcoin is approaching its August peak of $124,480. Standard Chartered expects it to break $135,000 soon, with a year-end target of $200,000. Citigroup offers an even more bullish forecast of $231,000 within the next year.
ETF Inflows Reshape Market Dynamics
Kendrick highlighted that Bitcoin ETFs have already attracted $58 billion in inflows, with $23 billion arriving in 2025 alone. Spot Bitcoin ETFs drew $2.2 billion this week as prices surged past $120,000. He projects an additional $20 billion could enter the market by December, reinforcing the bank’s $200,000 prediction. JPMorgan also sees Bitcoin as undervalued, forecasting a rise toward $165,000.
Breaking Away from Historic Patterns
Unlike previous cycles where Bitcoin weakened 18 months after halving events, the cryptocurrency has remained resilient following the April 2024 halving. Kendrick believes this deviation is due to the influence of ETFs and corporate treasury buying, which did not exist in earlier cycles. Prediction markets remain cautious, with Kalshi traders assigning a 54 percent chance of Bitcoin crossing $150,000 before May 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is Standard Chartered’s Bitcoin price forecast?
The bank expects Bitcoin to reach $200,000 by the end of 2025.
- Why are ETFs important to Bitcoin’s growth?
ETF inflows signal rising institutional interest, which supports price momentum and market stability.
- How does macroeconomic uncertainty affect Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is increasingly seen as a hedge during fiscal and political instability, benefiting from Treasury term premium shifts.
