Catenaa, Sunday, January 18, 2026- Standard Chartered highlighted Ethereum as the top-performing digital asset for 2026, citing network growth, stablecoin dominance, and decentralized finance adoption as key drivers.
The bank expects ether to outperform peers even as it lowers near-term price forecasts amid broader market weakness.
The bank now projects ETH to close 2026 at $7,500, down from an earlier $12,000 estimate, followed by $15,000 in 2027 and $22,000 in 2028.
Longer-term targets were raised, with ETH forecast at $30,000 by end-2029 and $40,000 by end-2030. Analysts emphasized Ethereum’s structural advantages over Bitcoin, including its role in stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, and DeFi activity.
Ethereum’s transaction activity has surged to record levels, driven mainly by stablecoin usage, now comprising 35% to 40% of transactions.
Standard Chartered highlighted the Fusaka Layer 1 upgrade in December as a critical factor in boosting throughput and supporting future market capitalization growth.
Investment flows into Ethereum-focused products remain stronger than those for Bitcoin, with BitMine Immersion holding approximately 3.4% of circulating ether and targeting a 5% stake.
The report also noted that more than half of all stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets are on Ethereum, a share expected to rise as onchain finance expands.
The bank pointed to a supportive regulatory outlook, including the anticipated U.S. Clarity Act, as further potential upside for Ethereum. Combined with resilient equity markets,
regulatory clarity could drive renewed investor confidence and underpin both Bitcoin and Ethereum over the longer term.
Standard Chartered expects Ethereum to outperform peers in 2026, citing network upgrades, stablecoin dominance, and regulatory support as key growth drivers.
