Standard Chartered has sharply revised its Bitcoin forecasts, cutting its 2025 year-end target from $200,000 to $100,000. The long-term projection of $500,000 has also been postponed by two years, moving from 2028 to 2030. Chief Analyst Geoffrey Kendrick acknowledged that the initial short-term targets were inaccurate, attributing the revision to market dynamics following a 36% drop from October's peak of $126,000 to $80,500 at the end of November.

Kendrick emphasized that such declines are within the normal range compared to previous cycles since the launch of spot ETFs in the United States. The updated forecast anticipates a gradual increase, with projections of $100,000 in 2025, $150,000 in 2026, $225,000 in 2027, $300,000 in 2028, $400,000 in 2029, and $500,000 in 2030.

The analyst explained that the slowdown stems from a shift in demand sources. Initially, growth was fueled by inflows into ETFs and purchases from companies like MicroStrategy, which operate as "digital asset treasuries." Now, this phase is considered complete, which necessitates reevaluating price expectations.