Standard Chartered Drastically Slashes XRP Outlook Amidst Broad Crypto Market Weakness
British financial giant Standard Chartered has significantly revised its price forecast for XRP, the fourth-largest cryptocurrency, trimming its end-of-2026 target by a substantial 65%. This dramatic downgrade signals a more cautious outlook from the bank's digital assets team, reflecting the challenging conditions experienced across the broader crypto market in recent months.
A Drastic Revision for XRP
The updated forecast now projects XRP to reach $2.80 by the close of 2026, a sharp decline from its previous optimistic projection of $8, issued just last December. This considerable cut comes despite a modest 2% rebound in XRP's price over the past week, with the altcoin trading around $1.47 per token at the time of writing. Geoff Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, highlighted the "challenging" recent price action for digital assets and confirmed a broader reassessment of price expectations across the sector. The bank now believes XRP is unlikely to achieve a new all-time high this year.
Wider Market Impact and Revised Expectations
The bearish sentiment extends beyond XRP, encompassing other major cryptocurrencies. Standard Chartered has also revised its price predictions for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). Bitcoin's expected price has been reduced from $150,000 to $100,000, while Ethereum’s forecast has been lowered from $7,000 to $4,000. Solana (SOL) also saw its target cut from $250 to $135. This comprehensive re-evaluation underscores a significant shift in the bank's perspective, moving away from the more optimistic stance held in late 2025, largely due to the crypto market's failure to mount a sustained recovery after the sharp downturn in October.
