Standard Chartered Forecast: Ethereum Primed to Shatter Records, Targeting $7,500 by 2026

Ethereum isn't just holding ground—it's gearing up for a historic surge. According to a bold new projection from banking giant Standard Chartered, the network is on track to hit a staggering $7,500 per token within the next two years.

The Bullish Case for ETH

Forget incremental gains. This forecast paints a picture of a major paradigm shift, suggesting a fundamental re-rating of Ethereum's value proposition is underway. The bank's analysts point to a confluence of catalysts, from the deepening institutional embrace to the network's evolving utility beyond simple transactions.

It's not just about price. The prediction hinges on Ethereum cementing its role as the foundational layer for a new financial system—hosting everything from trillion-dollar tokenized assets to autonomous decentralized organizations. The upgrade to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, they argue, transforms ETH from a mere cryptocurrency into a yield-generating digital commodity.

A Reality Check from the Old Guard

Of course, in the staid world of traditional finance, such a prediction raises eyebrows. It's the kind of forecast that makes veteran portfolio managers choke on their overpriced coffee—after all, what's a 'gas fee' to someone who still thinks a 'block' is something you trade with commodities? The sheer scale of the projected move implies a level of mainstream adoption that Wall Street has long dismissed as fantasy.

Whether this target is visionary or wildly optimistic, one thing is clear: the narrative around Ethereum is shifting from speculative asset to essential infrastructure. The race to build the future of finance is on, and Standard Chartered just placed a very public, very expensive bet on who wins.

Standard Chartered Predicts Multiple All-Time Highs For Ethereum Beyond 2026

Apart from the $7,500 forecast in 2026, the financial institution has also predicted that Ethereum (ETH) will hit $30,000 by 2029 and $40,000 by 2030. If ETH hits the $30,000 target, it price will rally by about 860.6%. Meanwhile, hitting $40,000 will entail a rally of about 1180% from current price levels.

While Standard Charted’s Ethereum (ETH) forecast is quite bullish, the financial institution has in fact lowered its price prediction.

When Will ETH Turn Bullish?

Ethereum (ETH) turned bullish in mid-2025, before facing a steep correction late last year. ETH climbed to a new all-time high of $4,946.05 in August 2025, but has since dipped by nearly 37%. According to CoinGecko data, ETH has rallied by 6.3% in the 14-day charts and 0.4% in the monthly charts, but is down 1.1% in the last 24 hours and 2.9% over the previous week.

Ethereum (ETH) is currently following the market-wide downtrend. The crypto market is still quote fragile, and investors are opting for safer bets, such as gold and silver. Both gold and silver have hit multiple all-time highs over the last few months. The surge in gold and silver prices is a signal that investors are staying away from risky assets, such as cryptocurrencies. The trend could change in the coming months, if the larger economy shows signs of improvement.