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The investment bank Standard Chartered has revised down its year‑end forecast for Bitcoin, warning that the recent slide is more a “cold breeze” than a “crypto winter,” but still urging caution as institutional support weakens. The move shows how volatility and changing institutional sentiment continue to shape crypto markets even as Bitcoin maintains levels near $91,000.
Bitcoin Today
As of the latest data, Bitcoin trades for about $90,901. While this represents a significant drop roughly 36% from early October highs the decline remains within the bounds expected by many analysts, and the market shows signs of stabilizing despite renewed uncertainty.
Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets, Geoff Kendrick, argues that recent weakness among Bitcoin‑focused digital‑asset treasury firms (DATs) has undercut one of the previous drivers of BTC demand. As many DATs now trade below the value of the Bitcoin they hold, Kendrick says the likelihood of further large-scale corporate accumulation has diminished.
He warns that while institutional buying may stall, exchange‑traded funds (ETFs) may still offer support though perhaps not enough to sustain earlier bullish projections.
In its note titled “Not a crypto winter, just a cold breeze,” Standard Chartered trimmed its year‑end 2025 Bitcoin forecast from $200,000 to $100,000, and pushed its previous $500,000 target from 2028 back to 2030. Intermediate targets were also revised downward: 2026 now $150,000 (was $300,000), 2027 $225,000 (was $400,000), and 2028 $300,000 (was $500,000).
Kendrick’s outlook reflects a view that without strong institutional balance‑sheet support, Bitcoin’s near‑term growth depends heavily on ETF demand and renewed macroeconomic or regulatory catalysts.
