Standard Chartered’s Geoffrey Kendrick is doubling down on a bullish outlook for Bitcoin, forecasting the cryptocurrency will hit $120,000 in the second quarter of 2025 before rising toward $200,000 by the end of the year.
In a note published April 28, Kendrick cited strategic asset reallocation away from U.S. assets, strong Bitcoin (BTC) accumulation by “whales,” and increasing ETF inflows into Bitcoin as key factors supporting the rally.
According to Kendrick, the U.S. Treasury term premium, which historically correlates closely with Bitcoin price movements, has reached a 12-year high.
This suggests that U.S.-based investors may be reallocating capital from domestic bonds to alternative assets such as Bitcoin. Kendrick also pointed to Bitcoin’s price behavior in previous cycles, where periods of sideways movement often preceded sharp upward moves.
Recently, a consortium of global banks, including Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered, explored ways to expand their cryptocurrency operations in the U.S. Their renewed interest followed traditional finance’s shift back into crypto, after the collapse of FTX and the shutdown of two major crypto-friendly banks.
The banks’ evaluation reportedly coincided with former President Donald Trump’s promise to make the U.S. a more crypto-friendly country.
Bitcoin’s new all-time high?
Bitcoin is currently trading around $95,000, up roughly seven times from its November 2022 lows, reinforcing optimism that a major rally could be imminent.
If Bitcoin reaches $120,000 in Q2, as Kendrick projects, it would mark a new all-time high, surpassing previous peaks seen in late 2021 and early 2022. Standard Chartered sees further gains extending into the summer, ultimately pushing Bitcoin toward the $200,000 mark by the end of 2025.
