Here’s my take on the future of cryptocurrency prices, based on projections from Standard Chartered. The bank has made some bold predictions for Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana by 2025, forecasting significant price increases driven by growing adoption and key political factors amid global economic uncertainty.
Standard Chartered’s Big Predictions: Bitcoin at 200,000, Ether at $10,000, and Solana at $700
According to Standard Chartered, we could be heading toward a major crypto bull run by 2025.
The global markets have faced significant turbulence in recent months, first due to a delayed interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve, and later because of escalating tensions between Iran and Israel. These factors have prevented markets from fully capitalizing on the post-summer recovery and a more relaxed monetary policy.
Cryptocurrency markets have not been immune to this turmoil. After Bitcoin hit an all-time high of $73,750 in March 2024, it saw a significant correction, dropping nearly 30% to $49,200 by early August 2024.
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Standard Chartered's Forecast for Major Cryptocurrencies by 2025
Recently, Geoff Kendrick, head of global digital asset research at Standard Chartered, shared his insights with The Block regarding the future of top cryptocurrencies by the end of 2025.
He believes that a potential re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. president would be beneficial for the cryptocurrency sector.
"Roughly speaking, compared to current prices, under Trump, I predict the following multiples by the end of 2025: Solana 5x, Ether 4x, and Bitcoin 3x."
Kendrick also noted that cryptocurrencies could still see growth even if Kamala Harris were to become president:
"In a scenario where Kamala Harris is elected, we anticipate Ether reaching $7,000 by the end of 2025."
A 5x increase would push Solana’s price to around $700, giving it a market cap of nearly $330 billion. Ether’s value would quadruple, pushing it close to $10,000 and giving it a $1.2 trillion market cap. Meanwhile, a tripling of Bitcoin’s price would see it climb to nearly $200,000, with a market cap approaching $4 trillion.
What Would This Mean for the Crypto Market?
Such a dramatic increase in cryptocurrency prices would signal widespread adoption of Bitcoin by professional investors, as well as its recognition as a store of value and an alternative to the current financial system.
Ether approaching $10,000 would indicate a broader use of Ethereum’s blockchain to support high volumes of decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, driven by institutional and professional investors.
However, these high valuations would likely come with stricter regulatory oversight, which would reassure global investors about the reliability of exchanges and businesses using cryptocurrencies. While beneficial for the market's value, this increased regulation could move the sector away from its original cypherpunk ideals, which emphasized decentralization and freedom from centralized control.
In conclusion, if these predictions play out, the crypto market could look very different by 2025, with Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana at the forefront of a new financial era.