Standard Chartered has raised its year-end price target for Ethereum from $4,000 to $7,500, citing a stronger industry backdrop and new demand from corporate treasury departments. According to Reuters, the bank also increased its 2028 Ethereum price forecast from $7,500 to $25,000. On Wednesday, Ethereum traded around $4,679, hitting its highest level since November 2021.
This revision marks a stark contrast to March, when Standard Chartered lowered its 2025 forecast from $10,000 to $4,000. At the time, the bank attributed the downgrade to structural headwinds, including revenue shifting to Layer-2 networks like Coinbase’s Base—which it estimated could reduce Ethereum’s market cap by roughly $50 billion—and slowing on-chain economic activity.
Recent developments appear to have shifted this assessment. Since June, corporate treasury departments have accumulated a significant portion of Ethereum’s supply, which Standard Chartered estimates could eventually reach 10%. The bank noted that the emergence of Ethereum treasury reserve companies and increased industry participation are catalysts for the upward revision. This trend mirrors Bitcoin’s early adoption pattern, where corporate balance sheet allocations influenced market perception and liquidity.
The current price environment reflects Ethereum regaining momentum after an extended period below its all-time high. The rebound to late-2021 levels, coupled with broader institutional involvement in staking, decentralized finance (DeFi) activity, and infrastructure development, may further solidify demand stability.
While Standard Chartered’s revised targets are forward-looking and subject to market volatility, they outline a narrative where long-term holders and fund managers could play a more central role in price support.
Ethereum’s market position remains tied to its dual role as a settlement layer and foundation for the Layer-2 ecosystem. Earlier concerns about fee leakage to scaling solutions persist, but the bank’s latest forecast suggests new demand sources may partially offset this pressure.
Corporate holdings could lock up a larger share of supply, intertwining with staking yields and Ethereum’s appeal as a yield-bearing asset, adding dimensions to the investment thesis beyond speculative trading.
Standard Chartered’s updated projections reflect the evolving interplay between Ethereum’s technical landscape and macro adoption trends. Raising the 2025 forecast from $4,000 to $7,500 and the 2028 forecast from $7,500 to $25,000 signals higher valuation brackets based on assumptions of sustained corporate engagement and ecosystem activity.
The sustainability of these trends will hinge on regulatory clarity, competitive pressures from other smart contract platforms, Ethereum’s development roadmap, and future protocol upgrades. For now, the bank’s forecasts reflect renewed confidence in the asset’s medium-to-long-term trajectory.
