BTC Ready to Explode: Standard Chartered Analyst Predicts Bitcoin to $120,000 By End of June

Bitcoin is poised to achieve a fresh all-time high of $120,000 in the second quarter of 2025, according to Standard Chartered’s Geoffrey Kendrick, global head of digital assets research. In a report released Monday, Kendrick pointed to a series of macroeconomic and market-specific factors catalyzing the world’s largest cryptocurrency’s next significant leg upward.JUST IN: 🇺🇸 $1.1 trillion Standard Chartered predicts new #Bitcoin ATH in the second quarter.

It’s “hard to be bearish about BTC” 🚀 pic.twitter.com/7dlQz8T8bVKendrick emphasized that strategic reallocation away from U.S. assets is playing a major role, as investors look to diversify amidst evolving financial conditions. This shift is evident in time-of-day analysis, which suggests strong Bitcoin buying during U.S. market hours, indicating that American investors are leading this move.Trade Crypto on KrakenKendrick detailed multiple bullish signals reinforcing the case for Bitcoin’s rise:U.S. treasury term premium: Currently at a 12-year high, this metric correlates closely with Bitcoin’s price. As treasury yields rise without corresponding increases in interest rates, investors seem to be seeking alternative stores of value.Whale accumulation: Large holders, or “whales”, those owning over 1,000 BTC, have been aggressively accumulating Bitcoin. This behavior mirrors similar patterns seen before major price rallies in the past.ETF flows: Recent exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows indicate a safe-haven reallocation from gold to Bitcoin, suggesting that Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as a superior hedge against systemic financial risks.Tariff reprieves and political catalysts: Following President Donald Trump’s April 9 announcement of a 90-day tariff reprieve for all countries except China, Bitcoin’s correlation with tech stocks weakened and its price performance improved—signaling growing independence from traditional equities.While acknowledging the challenges of precisely timing Bitcoin breakouts, Kendrick urged investors to “buy now” as he sees strong momentum building. Standard Chartered reiterated its longer-term target of $200,000 for Bitcoin by the end of 2025, projecting that growing institutional involvement and further regulatory clarity will drive sustained price appreciation.Currently, Bitcoin is trading around $95,500, having previously set a record high of $108,786 earlier this year.To further contextualize Standard Chartered’s bullish forecast, several other major developments point to strengthening momentum in the Bitcoin market.Strategy Inc., formerly MicroStrategy, recently announced the purchase of 15,355 BTC for about $1.42 billion, at an average price of $92,737 per Bitcoin. This brings their total holdings to 553,555 BTC, acquired at an average cost of $68,459. With a 13.7% year-to-date yield in 2025, Strategy’s aggressive accumulation highlights growing corporate confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term value.Institutional demand is also surging. Last week, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net inflows of 31,323 BTC—about $2.9 billion—marking the fifth-largest weekly inflow on record, according to Glassnode. This aggressive buying spree reflects a shift toward Bitcoin as a strategic, long-term asset allocation, not just a speculative bet. As liquidity tightens, upward price pressure is expected to intensify.Image source: Farside InvestorsSupporting this momentum, CryptoQuant’s Apparent Demand Indicator has sharply rebounded, signaling a strong return of buying interest after a period of heavy selling. Historically, such demand recoveries have coincided with the early stages of major Bitcoin rallies.Adding to the optimism, ARK Invest has raised its bull case forecast for Bitcoin to a staggering $2.4 million by 2030, citing its growing role as a dominant monetary network and a digital gold alternative.Altogether, aggressive corporate accumulation, rising institutional flows, renewed market demand, and long-term Bitcoin price predictions create a strong foundation for Bitcoin’s continued ascent.The convergence of macroeconomic trends, strategic reallocation, whale accumulation, surging ETF inflows, and recovering buying interest paints a compellingly bullish picture for Bitcoin. Standard Chartered’s $120,000 forecast for Q2 2025 fits within a broader narrative of strengthening institutional adoption, shrinking supply, and shifting investor preferences toward Bitcoin as a primary hedge against financial system risks.Get Started on Kraken