Bitcoin forecast to reach $135,000 by September's end, according to Standard Chartered predictions.
In a groundbreaking development, the world's most popular cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has reached an unprecedented all-time high of almost $118,900 on July 10, 2025. This milestone marks a 25% increase for the digital currency since the start of the year.
The surge in Bitcoin's value can be attributed to a multitude of factors, chief among them the influx of institutional investment and corporate adoption. According to financial services giant Standard Chartered, this trend is set to continue, with predictions that Bitcoin will reach $135,000 by the end of Q3 2025, and an ambitious forecast of $200,000 by the end of 2025, marking a 68% increase.
The surge in institutional demand has been fueled by the inflow into Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). In the second quarter of 2025 alone, ETF inflows and corporate treasury buying combined amounted to about 245,000 BTC. Since January 2024, ETFs have attracted more than $48 billion in net buying, demonstrating strong, sustained institutional interest that was not present in previous Bitcoin price cycles.
Companies are increasingly viewing Bitcoin as a treasury asset rather than a speculative investment, adding stable, long-term demand to the market. This shift in corporate strategy has contributed to the upward price pressure on Bitcoin.
Standard Chartered's predictions are based on the disruption of traditional Bitcoin price cycles due to the new institutional demand dynamics. The most recent halving was in April 2024, but Bitcoin has moved beyond the traditional post-halving decline pattern due to the new institutional demand dynamics.
The rise of Bitcoin ETFs has also brought broader market trust and regulatory clarity, attracting more investors and reinforcing the structural change in Bitcoin’s price cycles. Additionally, Bitcoin is approaching key technical resistance levels, and breaking these could catalyse further price rallies to the forecasted levels.
As the U.S. Senate passed the Genius Act on June 17, 2025, and a House vote could happen as early as this week, the potential regulation of stablecoins and the addressing of concerns about a lack of regulations could attract new crypto investors, further boosting Bitcoin's growth.
However, it's worth noting that Bitcoin doesn't have much real-world utility compared to other cryptocurrencies. For novice investors, a good starting point for investing in Bitcoin is 1% of your portfolio, and you can increase your allocation from there if you feel comfortable.
Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has managed a 6% year-to-date return as of July 10, 2025. As the world watches the Bitcoin market with bated breath, it remains to be seen whether Standard Chartered's bold predictions will come to fruition.
- The potential regulation of stablecoins, as indicated by the Genius Act, could attract new crypto investors, further boosting institutional interest in Bitcoin, which is seen as a treasury asset rather than a speculative investment.
- The rise of Bitcoin ETFs and the disruption of traditional Bitcoin price cycles due to the new institutional demand dynamics have brought broader market trust, regulatory clarity, and approaching key technical resistance levels, potentially catalyzing further price rallies to the forecasted levels.
- In the current market, investment in Bitcoin is deemed a strategic move for companies, contributing to the upward price pressure on the cryptocurrency, and financial services like Standard Chartered predict Bitcoin will reach $135,000 by the end of Q3 2025, with a further ambitious forecast of $200,000 by the end of 2025, owing to the influx of institutional investment and corporate adoption, as well as technological advancements.
