Standard Chartered predicts: Ethereum will reach a price of $40,000 by 2030

According to market news, Standard Chartered Bank predicts in a research report that Bitcoin's underperformance will give Ethereum the opportunity to surpass Bitcoin and reach $40,000 by 2030.

Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Asset Research at Standard Chartered Bank, stated, "2026 will be the year of Ethereum, just like 2021. The improved outlook for Ethereum relative to Bitcoin means that the price ratio between these two assets could return to the highs of 2021."

The bank noted that investments made through ETFs and digital asset vaults have a smaller impact on Ethereum's price performance compared to Bitcoin. Nevertheless, despite a general weakening of fund flows into cryptocurrency ETFs, their positive impact on Ethereum currently outweighs that on Bitcoin. Additionally, Ethereum developers are working to increase the transaction throughput of the Ethereum blockchain by ten times in the next two to three years, which, if successful, would provide a significant boost to Ethereum.

Finally, the passage of the U.S. "Clarity Act" will also be beneficial for Ethereum and its vast on-chain ecosystem. Standard Chartered expects the "Clarity Act" to be passed in the first quarter of 2026. The report reaffirms its price prediction for Bitcoin, stating that Bitcoin's price will reach $500,000 by 2030, while lowering its near-term price target for Ethereum, reducing the 2026 target price from $12,000 to $7,500, and the 2027 target price from $18,000 to $15,000.