Standard Chartered Upscales Bitcoin Forecast to $126K Before Year-End

Standard Chartered, a major bank, is upgrading its Bitcoin price forecast. The bank's global head of digital asset research, Geoff Kendrick, says that Bitcoin could retest $126,000 before year-end.

Kendrick notes that the recent rally in Bitcoin has been driven by short liquidations and recovering spot Bitcoin ETF inflows. He believes that low open interest across the market leaves room for investors to rebuild positions as Bitcoin rises.

Bitcoin has climbed about 24% over the past week to around $76,844, prompting Standard Chartered to say its $100,000 year-end forecast may now be too low. At this level, BTC remains about 39% below the bank's $100,000 forecast and roughly 64% below the $126,000 record high.

Kendrick thinks that Bitcoin could move toward its previous record before the end of the year, with the recovery potentially accelerating after October 6. This date corresponds closely with Bitcoin's 2025 market peak, after which the cryptocurrency entered an extended decline that continued into 2026.