Bitcoin Price Forecast Standard Chartered Predicts $120K Surge

Bitcoin price forecast 2025. ​Standard Chartered has presented a daring new projection that has rekindled excitement across the bitcoin market as Bitcoin keeps grabbing headlines and investor attention. Early in the second quarter of 2025, the bank now projects Bitcoin will soar to a fresh all-time high of $120,000.

Head of Digital Asset Research at the bank, Geoff Kendrick, releases this projection showing growing institutional trust in Bitcoin as a possible long-term store of wealth rather than only a speculative one. Bitcoin is priced at about $95,000 as of late April 2025—already significantly above its 2021 top of almost $69,000—and its trend looks to be headed higher.

Several convergent macroeconomic developments are driving the optimistic view of Bitcoin. The main one among them is increasing uncertainty about the state of the world economy. Rising trade conflicts, especially involving the United States and important trading allies, have brought tariffs back into international trade. This has caused investors to rethink conventional safe-haven assets like U.S. Treasurys, which today suffer risks connected to political meddling and changes in central bank policy.

Kendrick argues, “Bitcoin is progressively behaving like a macro hedge.” “Digital assets like BTC stand to gain as alternative stores of value as faith in fiat and central banking systems continues to wane, particularly in the face of inflationary pressures and geopolitical instability.

Although Bitcoin has always had committed ordinary investors, institutional capital appears to be driving its next leg of growth. Once sceptical of digital assets, pension funds, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds have shown renewed interest in recent months.
Standard Chartered expects 13F filings with the SEC to show increased Bitcoin exposure in several well-known institutional portfolios. This is a turning point: Bitcoin is now commonly incorporated in diversified investment plans.
Bitcoin price forecast 2025. Political events explain some of this impetus. The Biden administration, viewed as market-friendly, delayed foreign tech and semiconductor levies until early 2025. This has joined with congressional debates of crypto-positive regulations, including stablecoin control, to give the digital asset market hope.

One of the main reasons Bitcoin appeals is its fixed supply. Given that only 21 million BTC will eventually be mined, the protocol itself is inherently limited. Bitcoin saw its fourth halving in April 2024—a planned event that halves block rewards. Such events have often come before big bull runs.

Standard Chartered thinks that the delayed consequences of the 2024 halving will start to show up in Q2 and Q3 of 2025, hence fuelling the continuous surge. “The combination of tightening supply and growing demand from both retail and institutional sources creates a classic setup for a supply shock,” notes Kendrick.

Seeing their earnings cut, miners are also causing supply shortages by stockpiling instead of selling Bitcoin. Long-term holders continue to grow, thereby limiting the supply of Bitcoin on the market.

Government clarity may be unappreciated for Bitcoin’s rise. In recent months, US cryptocurrency policies have improved slowly. Bipartisan support for clearer tax classification and stablecoin regulation indicates that Washington is finally addressing the crypto sector. Meanwhile, the Bitcoin price forecast for 2025. The SEC has approved several crypto-related financial products, including spot Bitcoin ETFs, which have increased institutional and individual investor access. When legal certainty is achieved, Standard Chartered predicts trillions of stalled capital may enter the market.

The price of Bitcoin has always reflected more of psychology than of principles. Driven by media coverage and social approval, new waves of investors flood the market as prices rise, sometimes triggering a feedback loop of demand. Particularly among younger investors who see cryptocurrencies as a generational wealth source, the expectation of a $120,000 target has already produced FOMO (fear of missing out).

On-chain activity, Google search trends, and social media buzz all point to a very positive state of market attitude. Rising trading volumes and declining exchange inflows point to holders being ready for long-term gains rather than seeking sales.

Standard Chartered does not stop at $120,000. Assuming current macro trends continue and more institutional players embrace digital assets, the bank projects Bitcoin may reach $200,000 by the end of 2025. Although the road to $200K will be erratic, generally the direction points upward.

Bitcoin is becoming a globally recognised store of value and a fundamental component of portfolio construction—it is no more only a speculative asset,” Kendrick notes. “The ceiling for BTC price targets keeps moving higher as the infrastructure around it matures and its integration into conventional finance deepens and gets more important.

No forecast, of course, comes without hazards. Bitcoin is still quite erratic; hence, quick corrections can happen without much notice. Even the most hopeful estimates could be dashed by geopolitical events, abrupt legislative crackdowns, or technological problems inside the blockchain itself.

Furthermore, endangering Bitcoin’s market supremacy is rivalry from other cryptocurrencies, especially Ethereum and newly developing layer-1 networks. Although Bitcoin is still the original and most known cryptocurrency, its use is more restricted than that of more recent chains providing smart contracts and distributed apps.
Investors are advised to keep current on news events, diversify their portfolios, and approach the market carefully. Long-term crypto success calls on discipline, understanding, and resilience against volatility—just as in any other investing field.

Final thoughts

The paper notes Standard Chartered’s optimistic $120,000 Bitcoin projection for early 2025, maybe rising to $200,000 by year-end. Macroeconomic uncertainty, growing institutional use, post-halving supply limits, and better regulatory clarity are key forces. Rather than only a speculative asset, Bitcoin is becoming viewed as a valid store of wealth. Still, hazards abound, from geopolitical shocks to competition from rival cryptocurrencies like Ethereum.

Variability exists even while momentum and market psychology inspire hope. Though investors should stay cautious, well-informed, and diversified, the future seems bright. Though the road ahead is yet unknown, Bitcoin’s entry into mainstream banking seems to be quickening overall.