Bitcoin is poised for a record-setting rally that could elevate its price to a staggering $500,000 by the end of 2028, according to Standard Chartered. As reported by Yahoo Finance, the banking giant attributes this optimistic forecast to enhanced investor access and decreased volatility.

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In a strategic note released on Wednesday, Geoff Kendrick, an analyst at the company, indicated that these two factors are expected to contribute to a $100,000 annual increase in Bitcoin’s value, ultimately reaching the $500,000 benchmark in an impressive 407% increase from its current valuation.

“Although the near-term remains choppy for Bitcoin, the long-term is becoming clearer by the day,” stated Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Digital Assets Research. The progressive advancements in access facilitated under the Trump administration, alongside increasing institutional inflows, are crucial to this optimistic outlook. Furthermore, as the infrastructure supporting Bitcoin, such as options markets, continues to expand, volatility is projected to decrease gradually.

Kendrick highlighted Bitcoin’s emerging role as a safe haven and a potential inflation hedge, which has attracted traditional investors and entrenched Bitcoin deeply within Wall Street’s fabric. This trend is bolstered by the recent introduction of spot Bitcoin ETFs, which have already amassed $39 billion in inflows.

The crypto-friendly stance of the Trump administration is expected to further improve access, fostering a thriving ETF market reminiscent of the gold exchange-traded products launched in 2004. “US gold prices rose 4.3x as the ETP market matured from November 2004 through September 2011. We think a similar increase in BTC ETFs is possible within a much shorter two-year period compared to gold’s seven-year timeframe,” explained Kendrick, underscoring his forecast of Bitcoin reaching $200,000 by the end of 2025.

Kendrick observed that Bitcoin’s volatility would likely ease in the coming years, akin to the evolution experienced by gold ETPs. The introduction of ETFs is expected to provide more stable market inflows, while burgeoning market features such as options trading are anticipated to further diminish volatility over time.

Looking ahead, Kendrick predicted that Bitcoin’s three-month at-the-market volatility could decline from its current 55% spot level to 45% over the next two to three years. This reduction in volatility would encourage investors to allocate a larger portion of their portfolios to Bitcoin, thus reinforcing the aspirational $500,000 valuation.

Despite a temporary stall in Bitcoin’s rally due to some January policy discouragements, a recent positive indicator seems to have emerged for the crypto market. A decline in the 10-year Treasury yield below 4.50% reflects potential concerns about US growth due to recent tariff tensions under the Trump administration, positioning Bitcoin as an attractive alternative. “Even amidst tariff challenges, growth fear narratives prevail, suggesting a ‘win-win’ situation for Bitcoin,” remarked Kendrick in an additional commentary.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform