The Bitcoin price is moving in a turbulent market, while investment bank Standard Chartered has once again significantly lowered its expectations for 2026. According to the bank, Bitcoin (BTC) may first fall back to $50,000 before a later recovery.
The price target for the end of 2026 has therefore been adjusted downwards for the second time in three months. What’s going on?
Bitcoin price under pressure due to outflow from ETFs
Standard Chartered now expects Bitcoin to reach around $100,000 by the end of 2026. That’s a big step back from the previous expectation of $150,000. In December, the price target was even as high as $300,000. Within a few months, the forecast was significantly revised downwards twice.
According to Geoffrey Kendrick, head of digital asset research at the bank, there is a good chance that the market will go through another phase of capitulation in the coming months. By this he means a period in which investors sell en masse for fear of further falls, which puts extra pressure on the price.
At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is around $67,000. Since its peak in October, when BTC touched almost $127,000, the price has fallen by more than forty percent.
A major factor is the outflow from US spot Bitcoin ETFs. Nearly $8 billion has flowed out of these funds since early October. The amount of BTC in ETFs fell by almost 100,000 coins from the high on October 10. Many investors bought at an average price of about $90,000 and are now at a loss.
Macroeconomics puts further pressure on the crypto market
In addition to the outflows from ETFs, Standard Chartered points to a deteriorating macroeconomic environment. The American economy is showing signs of cooling down, while financial markets do not expect any new interest rate cuts for the time being.
According to the bank, this could further limit the inflow of new capital into crypto. Bitcoin has long been seen as ‘digital gold’ and as a risky growth investment that moves strongly with technology stocks. BTC is now performing weaker than the Nasdaq and the S&P 500.
The broader crypto market has lost nearly $2 trillion in market value since October. Yet Kendrick emphasizes that this decline is slower than previous crashes. No major trading platforms have collapsed, as has happened in previous cycles. According to him, this indicates a more mature market.
Ethereum expectations are also down
Not only Bitcoin gets a lower forecast. Standard Chartered also lowered its price target for Ethereum (ETH) at the end of 2026 from $7,500 to $4,000. The Ethereum price is currently below $2,000.
Kendrick expects ETH to fall to around $1,400 before recovering later in the year.
The combination of persistent volatility, cautious investors and uncertainty about interest rate policy ensures that the crypto market remains vulnerable for the time being. The coming months will show whether the predicted decline towards $50,000 actually materializes.
Source: https://newsbit.nl/bitcoin-koers-kan-naar-50-000-dalen-standard-chartered-verlaagt-doel-fors/
