Standard Chartered: Ethereum Predicted to Reach $7,500 This Year, Surpassing Bitcoin

Summary:
Standard Chartered recently indicated that Ethereum (ETH) is likely to significantly outperform Bitcoin (BTC) in the long run. The bank highlights Ethereum's improved fundamentals, growing institutional interest, and a strong position in decentralized finance (DeFi) and stablecoins as key factors driving this bullish outlook. With potential upgrades on the horizon and possible regulatory clarity, Ethereum could reach $7,500 this year.

Key Takeaways

Standard Chartered suggests that Ethereum's fundamentals are now stronger, potentially leading to greater long-term gains compared to Bitcoin.
Ethereum excels in areas like DeFi, stablecoins, and the tokenization of real-world assets.
Projected network upgrades in 2026 are likely to enhance Ethereum's efficiency and transaction capacity.
Regulatory clarity may further facilitate adoption and institutional investment.
Standard Chartered forecasts Ethereum could attain $7,500 this year, while Bitcoin may reach $150,000.

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Ethereum's Growing Influence in the Crypto Market

Ethereum is increasingly viewed as a formidable competitor to Bitcoin, according to new insights from Standard Chartered. The bank asserts that Ethereum's more robust fundamentals are likely to support sustained price growth that may ultimately surpass Bitcoin. As the crypto market, including Bitcoin, experiences attempts at recovery, recent statistics show Bitcoin increased by 1.68% to around $92,500, while Ethereum rose by 1.45% to roughly $3,150.

Strong Institutional Demand and Market Position

Standard Chartered emphasizes a rising institutional demand for Ethereum as a vital factor in its enhanced outlook. While Bitcoin retains its status as a leading store-of-value asset, Ethereum is benefiting from its broader utility within the crypto landscape. This evolving trend is shifting how substantial investors are allocating resources in the digital asset realm.

Ethereum’s dominance in areas such as stablecoins, DeFi, and the tokenization of real-world assets positions it favorably for future growth. The majority of liquidity in stablecoins and DeFi remains anchored on the Ethereum network, affirming its role as the main platform for on-chain financial activities. As more assets are tokenized, Ethereum stands to gain a substantial slice of this burgeoning market.

Upcoming Network Improvements and Potential Regulations

Another encouraging aspect for Ethereum is its enhanced network performance, bolstering its investment appeal. Ongoing scaling improvements are making the Ethereum network more user-friendly and attractive to developers. In 2026, Ethereum is expected to unveil two significant upgrades—Glamsterdam in the middle of the year and Heze-Bogota later on. These enhancements aim to notably improve both speed and efficiency, as well as resistance to censorship.

These advancements could position Ethereum to handle around 10,000 transactions per second across its Layer 1, with potential gas limits soaring to 200 million per block. Approximately 10% of validators might begin to verify zero-knowledge proofs as part of a key scaling achievement.

Beyond these technical upgrades, potential regulatory clarity in the United States could unlock further institutional engagement. The U.S. Senate is actively working towards passing the Clarity Act in 2026, which many believe would pave the way for better-regulated investment products.

Future Price Projections for Ethereum and Bitcoin

Considering these factors, Standard Chartered estimates that Ethereum could reach a price of $7,500 within this year, while predicting Bitcoin's price could rise to around $150,000. In relative terms, this would represent a gain of approximately 141% for Ethereum, compared to a 63% increase for Bitcoin.

Looking towards the future, the bank forecasts Ethereum may reach $30,000 by 2029 and $40,000 by 2030. They predict that the ETH/BTC ratio will climb to about 0.08, reminiscent of levels last seen in 2021. By the 2029–2030 period, Standard Chartered expects Bitcoin to trade at $400,000 and $500,000, respectively, suggesting that Ethereum could provide a 10x to 12x return compared to Bitcoin's projected 4x to 5x return in the same timeframe.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The opinions expressed reflect the author's views and do not necessarily represent those of The Crypto Basic. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not liable for any financial losses.