Ethereum (ETH) is experiencing renewed bullish momentum, with Standard Chartered significantly raising its price targets. According to the bank, ETH could hit $7,500 by the end of 2025—up from the previous $4,000 forecast—and soar to $25,000 by 2028, driven by a mix of regulatory clarity, institutional demand, and improving network fundamentals.
Strong Institutional Demand Driving Ethereum Growth
Standard Chartered’s Head of Digital Assets Research, Geoffrey Kendrick, highlighted a “dramatic” improvement in market conditions, helping Ethereum accelerate beyond its previous expectations. Since June, institutional investors have acquired about 3.8% of all ETH in circulation, with Bitmine Immersion and SharpLink Gaming alone purchasing roughly 2.3 million ETH.
This wave of interest is largely coming from corporate treasuries and the growing spot ETH ETF market, which together are tightening supply and creating upward price pressure. Kendrick believes Ethereum is on track to surpass its all-time high of $4,866 as early as Q3 2025.
Stablecoin Regulation and Technical Upgrades Boost Bullish Outlook
Another catalyst fueling Ethereum’s rise is the expected adoption of U.S. stablecoin legislation, especially the GENIUS Act. As most dollar-pegged stablecoins like USDC and USDT run on Ethereum, any increase in usage directly boosts on-chain activity and transaction volume.
Additionally, Ethereum’s recent technical upgrades are enabling more high-value transactions and enhancing the performance of Layer 1 applications, especially in the booming DeFi sector. These improvements are attracting more developers and users, reinforcing Ethereum’s long-term dominance as a smart contract platform.
So far in 2025, ETH has already gained 41%, outpacing Bitcoin’s 29% increase. This growing momentum, paired with increasing institutional interest and regulatory clarity, supports Standard Chartered’s bullish case for Ethereum over the next few years.
