Standard Chartered Projects $40,000 Ethereum by 2030
On March 30, 2026, banking giant Standard Chartered issued a highly bullish long-term forecast for Ethereum (ETH), projecting its price could reach $40,000 by the end of the decade. The report also signals a major strategic call, predicting that Ethereum will notably outperform Bitcoin during this period. The bank's optimism is rooted in Ethereum's established dominance in decentralized finance (DeFi) and its potential to become a global settlement layer for tokenized real-world assets.
The bank's forecast includes intermediate targets, with a price of $7,500 anticipated by the end of 2025 and $25,000 by 2028. This structured outlook provides institutional investors with a clear roadmap based on continued growth in network utility and wider adoption.
Institutional Consensus Forms Around Ethereum's Long-Term Value
Standard Chartered's outlook is not an isolated event but rather a reflection of a growing institutional consensus. Asset manager VanEck holds a similar long-term view, projecting in its own analysis that Ethereum could reach a base-case target of $22,000 by 2030, driven by spot ETF approvals and the growth of its Layer-2 ecosystem.
This sentiment is echoed by ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, which envisions Ethereum evolving beyond a speculative asset to become a foundational layer for the global financial system. The firm believes Ethereum's ability to replace traditional financial intermediaries positions it for significant long-term value accrual, reinforcing the narrative of ETH as a core infrastructural asset.
Bank Contrasts Long-Term ETH Bullishness with Near-Term XRP Cuts
The bank's conviction in Ethereum's long-term trajectory is notable when contrasted with its more cautious near-term views on other digital assets. For instance, Standard Chartered recently slashed its 2026 price target for XRP by 65%, from $8.00 down to $2.80, citing the severe market selloff that saw the token fall to $1.16 in February.
However, the bank simultaneously maintained its 2030 price target for XRP at $28. This pattern suggests a consistent analytical framework: acknowledging near-term market volatility while holding firm on long-term theses driven by fundamental adoption. The analysis indicates the bank's long-range crypto forecasts are resilient to short-term market cycles, focusing instead on underlying technological and network growth.
