Standard Chartered Sees Ethereum Near $7.5K Year‑End on ETF and Institutional Flows

I view Standard Chartered’s upgrade as a bullish signal: Ethereum has rallied ~29% in a week and is consolidating just above $4,600, roughly 4% below the 2021 all-time high. The bank’s revised year-end target (~$7,500) and $25,000 2028 call reflect a strong optimism driven by recent market dynamics.

The main drivers I see are heavy spot-ETF inflows (a $1B daily inflow record and ~$8.2B YTD), growing institutional treasury allocations (≈865k ETH held by public companies), and legislative progress in the U.S. that improves liquidity and on-chain stablecoin utility. Those factors could plausibly fuel renewed price discovery if ETH breaks the prior ATH.

That said, I remain cautious: the forecasts are ambitious and hinge on continued ETF demand, favorable regulation, and broad risk-on market conditions. Volatility and regulatory setbacks could produce sharp downside, so position sizing and clear risk management are essential.