Standard Chartered, the British multinational bank, anticipates Ethereum (ETH) to surpass Bitcoin (BTC) in performance once regulators approve spot ETFs for Ethereum in May of this year.
In a research note released on Monday, the bank expressed heightened optimism for both assets, revising its earlier Bitcoin cycle peak forecast from $150,000 to $250,000 by 2025. Additionally, Ethereum is poised to experience a significant surge, potentially reaching $14,000 per unit, driven by a 12-month influx of up to $45 billion in ETF investments.
Standard Chartered Predicts $14,000 ETH
“We estimate that spot ETFs will drive inflows of 2.39-9.15 million ETH in the first twelve months after approval,” stated Geoff Kendrick, the bank’s analyst. “In USD terms, that translates to approximately $15 billion to $45 billion.”
Kendrick highlighted that this figure aligns with his expectations for Bitcoin spot ETF inflows when adjusted for market capitalization. Despite a split-decision SEC approval and continuous outflows from the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), U.S. Bitcoin spot ETFs have attracted net inflows surpassing $11.9 billion since their launch on January 11.
Considering the current momentum, the bank has revised its end-of-2024 Bitcoin price projection from $100,000 to $150,000. Additionally, $200,000 is now identified as the “new midpoint for a sideways trading range” by the end of 2025. This prediction corresponds with a “two-asset optimization scenario,” where Bitcoin represents 20% of investors’ gold allocation within their portfolios.
Meanwhile, Ethereum is anticipated to maintain or even exceed the pace of BTC over the next couple of years. It is expected to transition from its current 5.4% price ratio against the leading cryptocurrency in 2024 to a 7% ratio in the following year, a level last seen in 2021 and 2022.
“This would imply a USD level of $8,000 for ETH by the end of 2024,” noted the bank.
For 2025, based on its BTC forecast of $200,000, the bank anticipates an ETH price of $14,000.
Will An Ethereum ETF Be Approved?
Despite Standard Chartered’s anticipation of Ethereum ETF approval by May, several analysts have become significantly less optimistic about the prospect due to regulators’ apparent lack of communication on the matter.
“Our odds of ETH ETF approval by the May deadline are down to 35%,” remarked Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas on X last week. “All the signs/sources that were making us bullish 2.5 months out for BTC spot are not present this time.”
