Standard Chartered is doubling down on its bullish outlook for Bitcoin, forecasting the cryptocurrency will rise to $135,000 by the end of the third quarter and breach the $200,000 mark by the close of 2025.

The prediction, published in a research note Wednesday, attributes the strength of Bitcoin’s rally to increased institutional demand, especially from exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and corporate treasuries.

The latest projections come from Geoff Kendrick, head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, who has been consistently optimistic on Bitcoin’s long-term trajectory.

In his note, Kendrick argued that the dynamics driving BTC have fundamentally changed, marking a departure from the cryptocurrency’s historical halving cycle patterns.

The new drivers behind BTC’s movements

Kendrick said that Bitcoin has “moved beyond the previous dynamic whereby prices fell 18 months after a ‘halving’ cycle,” referring to the roughly four-year interval when the Bitcoin network reduces mining rewards by half.

This mechanism has historically driven supply shocks that led to price booms followed by corrections, often within an 18-month window.

However, Kendrick said the latest halving in April 2024 is unlikely to follow the same trajectory due to the emergence of stronger demand drivers absent in previous cycles.

“We expect prices to resume their uptrend, supported by continued strong ETF and Bitcoin treasury buying,” Kendrick wrote.

According to the report, ETF and corporate treasury flows accounted for approximately 245,000 BTC in the second quarter of 2025 alone.

Kendrick projects that level will be exceeded in both the third and fourth quarters, citing deepening institutional adoption as a structural support for higher prices.

His comments come as spot Bitcoin ETF flows in the United States turned negative for the first time in more than two weeks.

According to data from SoSoValue, US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $342.3 million in net outflows on Tuesday, ending a 15-day streak of positive inflows that had totaled $4.8 billion.

Bitcoin at $500K

Standard Chartered continues to stand by its bold long-term call of Bitcoin reaching $500,000 by 2028.

This forecast is premised on sustained institutional interest and broader macroeconomic conditions that could favour digital assets over traditional stores of value.

The bank’s $200,000 forecast for year-end 2025, if realized, would mark a near-doubling from current levels.

As of Wednesday, Bitcoin was trading at approximately $107,500.

Despite the recent outflow from ETFs, Kendrick’s outlook suggests that large-scale institutional allocation to Bitcoin remains a secular trend, with growing interest from corporate treasuries potentially altering how firms manage balance sheet assets.

Bitcoin is up more than 70% over the past year.

The post Standard Chartered predicts Bitcoin to hit $135K by Q3, surge to $200K by year-end appeared first on CoinJournal.

Standard Chartered predicts Bitcoin to hit $135K by Q3, surge to $200K by year-end

Source: https://coinjournal.net/news/standard-chartered-predicts-bitcoin-to-hit-135k-by-q3-surge-to-200k-by-year-end/

Coinbase is set to become the first pure-play cryptocurrency firm to be included in the S&P 500 index.

The inclusion, effective before trading begins on May 19, follows the pending completion of Discover Financial Services’ acquisition by Capital One.

Wall Street brokerage Bernstein estimates that Coinbase could see approximately $16 billion in buying pressure as a result of its inclusion in the S&P 500.

Of this, around $9 billion is expected to come from passive index funds that track the benchmark, while an additional $7 billion could stem from active fund allocations responding to the index change.

“We estimate $9 billion potential buying into Coinbase driven by passive S&P 500-linked ETFs and non-ETFs,” said Bernstein’s Gautam Chhugani in a note to clients on Tuesday.

For S&P-benchmarked active funds, a 0.1% allocation could translate into another $7 billion in potential buying, he added.

At a market capitalization of approximately $52 billion, Coinbase would represent around 0.1% of the S&P 500 and about 0.7% of the index’s financial sector weighting.

The S&P 500 currently has a total market value of about $52 trillion.

The long road to mainstream

Coinbase’s path to the index follows what Bernstein described as a dramatic turnaround, after the company had previously been involved in litigation with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Coinbase debuted on the Nasdaq via a direct listing in April 2021 and now holds about 66% share of the US crypto exchange market, with more than $400 billion in assets and around 10 million active users.

As the saying goes…

“First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then they add you to the S&P 500.”

…or something like that.

— Coinbase 🛡️ (@coinbase) May 12, 2025

“This is a big deal,” said Coinbase President and COO Emilie Choi.

“The S&P 500 is arguably the most tracked and influential index in the world, is a 401(k) cornerstone, and a magnet for institutional capital.”

CEO Brian Armstrong added, “Crypto is about to be in everyone’s 401k,” and expressed hope that entry into a COIN50 index might eventually carry similar weight.

Market reaction to Coinbase’s inclusion

Coinbase shares rose about 16% in the early hours of trading on Thursday following the announcement and were last seen trading at $241.60.

However, the stock remains down about 5% year-to-date.

The listing comes shortly after Coinbase announced a $2.9 billion deal to acquire Deribit, a crypto derivatives exchange.

The acquisition includes $700 million in cash and 11 million Coinbase Class A shares.

The post S&P 500 inclusion could drive $9B–$16B inflows into Coinbase: Bernstein appeared first on CoinJournal.

S&P 500 inclusion could drive $9B–$16B inflows into Coinbase: Bernstein

Source: https://coinjournal.net/news/sp-500-inclusion-could-drive-9b-16b-inflows-into-coinbase-bernstein/

Bybit and FXStreet have released a joint report forecasting that gold could rise to $4,000 per ounce by the end of 2025, driven by a combination of macroeconomic pressures, technical momentum, and increasing investor aversion to traditional assets.

The report comes on the heels of gold reaching an all-time high of around $3,500 per ounce last month, marking a 26% gain year-to-date and a 41% jump over the past 12 months.

Over the same period, the S&P 500 has declined 11%, highlighting gold’s renewed strength as a safe-haven asset.

Safe-haven demand intensifies

Investors are reallocating capital into gold in response to persistent inflation, a weakening US dollar, and deteriorating real returns in equity and bond markets.

The metal’s traditional role as a hedge against currency devaluation has resurfaced, with both central banks and private investors seeking shelter from fiat instability.

Adding to this flight to safety are escalating concerns over US trade policy under President Donald Trump, which has reignited fears of a global tariff war.

The report added:

By serving as a neutral reserve asset, gold provides much-needed stability amid shifting trade patterns and geopolitical tensions.

The report notes that capital is being pulled from vulnerable currencies—including the euro, yen, yuan, and peso—into gold, which offers liquidity and political neutrality.

Bullish technical setup

From a technical standpoint, indicators remain supportive of further gains.

The MACD remains in positive territory, with the 12-day moving average above the 26-day, signaling sustained bullish momentum.

Meanwhile, the RSI at 60 reflects ongoing strength without tipping into overbought levels.

Analysts expect gold to consolidate near $3,500, a key resistance level, before targeting $4,000 by year-end, assuming macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds persist.

Silver: the overlooked hedge

The report also points to silver as a compelling diversification opportunity.

Though trailing gold in performance, silver remains well below its 2011 peak of $50 per ounce and may benefit from both defensive capital flows and rising industrial demand, particularly from green energy and infrastructure sectors.

For investors seeking broader exposure, silver’s asymmetric upside presents an attractive hedge.

The post Bybit-FXStreet report sees gold hitting $4,000 by end-2025 appeared first on CoinJournal.

Bybit-FXStreet report sees gold hitting $4,000 by end-2025

Source: https://coinjournal.net/news/bybit-fxstreet-report-sees-gold-hitting-4000-by-end-2025/