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Wall Street revises Bitcoin forecasts as institutional demand shifts
Two leading Wall Street research teams have adjusted their Bitcoin price targets after observing changes in institutional buying patterns and ETF flows. The updates from Standard Chartered and Bernstein reflect evolving sources of demand for Bitcoin — with exchange-traded funds (spot Bitcoin ETFs) now shouldering more of the institutional allocation burden as corporate treasury purchases wane.
Standard Chartered trims near-term outlook, keeps long-term conviction
Standard Chartered reduced its near-term Bitcoin forecast, pointing to a slowdown in corporate treasury accumulation. Analysts at the bank say some companies that had previously added Bitcoin to corporate balance sheets no longer share the same incentives or valuation capacity to continue net purchases. As a result, Standard Chartered now projects a lower Bitcoin price by the end of 2026 than it had previously expected, while extending its long-range target horizon out to 2030. The research team still views digital assets positively over time, citing sustained interest from institutional products like ETFs.
Bernstein lifts 2026–2027 targets, shifts away from four-year cycle framing
By contrast, Bernstein revised its Bitcoin forecast upward for the close of 2026 and expects further gains into late 2027. Bernstein’s analysts retreated from an earlier peak estimate for this year after recent weakness but argue that Bitcoin’s dynamics have moved beyond the classic four-year cycle into a lengthier expansion phase. Their long-term scenario extends to 2033, signaling continued confidence in structural demand drivers for Bitcoin and digital assets.
Market context: price pullback, ETF outflows, and support levels
Bitcoin has pulled back considerably from its October highs and is trading near technical support zones. Spot Bitcoin ETFs posted outflows recently, with several major funds seeing notable monthly redemptions in November. Although these outflows are small relative to total assets under management, they have triggered discussions about investor conviction and whether short-term withdrawals could dampen the typical rebound that follows sizable sell-offs.
Both institutions remain broadly constructive on Bitcoin despite the near-term downgrades or recalibrations. Their divergent near-term views highlight a market in transition — where exchange-traded funds and retail liquidity increasingly shape price action while corporate treasury demand proves less reliable.
The reports arrive alongside a related development in tokenized assets: Libeara, a blockchain infrastructure platform backed by Standard Chartered’s venture arm SC Ventures, launched a tokenized gold investment fund in Singapore, underscoring continued institutional interest in blockchain-based investment vehicles and tokenization of traditional assets.
Source: crypto
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