Standard Chartered Analyst: Bitcoin Could Rise Toward $126,000 by Year-End, Spot ETF Sees $517M Daily Net Inflow 2026

Key Takeaways / TL;DR

• Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick believes his year-end $100,000 Bitcoin price target may be too low, and that Bitcoin could rise toward its all-time high of $126,000 before the end of the year.
• Spot Bitcoin ETF recorded a single-day net inflow of $517 million, the largest since early May, possibly indicating institutional money is returning to the crypto market.
• Bitcoin rose more than 23% this week, briefly breaking above $79,000; Ethereum rose nearly 30% over the same period to above $2,400.
• The U.S. Treasury Department's expansion of long-term bond buybacks drove long-term yields lower, combined with policy expectations from Trump's call to advance the CLARITY Act, jointly fueling the market rebound.

Why Does Standard Chartered Analyst Predict Bitcoin Could Rise to $126,000 by Year-End?

As of August 24, 2026, Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick raised his year-end Bitcoin price target from $100,000 to $126,000, citing short covering and recovering spot Bitcoin ETF inflows.

Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick believes Bitcoin could climb from current levels toward its all-time high of $126,000 before year-end because he thinks the original $100,000 year-end target is too low. Short covering (shorts being forced to buy back to close positions, pushing prices higher) and recovering inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs (exchange-traded funds that directly hold Bitcoin and track spot prices) are the main drivers. This forecast is based on observations of market capital flows and trading dynamics, not a definitive commitment.

What Is the Latest Standard Chartered Analyst Price Target?

Geoff Kendrick said on August 24 that his year-end $100,000 Bitcoin price target may be too low, and that Bitcoin could rise toward its all-time high of $126,000 before the end of the year.

What Factors Support This Forecast?

• Short covering: Traders who previously shorted Bitcoin are forced to buy back to close positions, creating additional buying pressure and accelerating price increases.
• Recovery of spot Bitcoin ETF inflows: Institutional funds are returning to the market through compliant channels, showing demand for digital asset allocation. This echoes the recent institutional BTC accumulation trend.
• Analysts believe these two factors jointly drove the recent rally and could continue through year-end.

What Does the $517 Million Single-Day Net Inflow into Spot Bitcoin ETFs Mean?

According to a Cointelegraph report on August 21, this inflow was the largest single-day net inflow since early May, possibly indicating institutional investors are returning to the crypto market, and it coincided with Bitcoin breaking above $79,000. An increase in ETF net inflows means traditional financial market capital is entering the crypto space through regulated instruments, providing direct buy-side support for prices.

What Record Did This Inflow Set?

Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a single-day net inflow of $517 million on August 21, the largest since early May. This data may indicate that after a period of outflows or flat flows, institutional demand has clearly picked up. For changes in Bitcoin ETF flows, see Bitcoin ETF flow dynamics.

How Does ETF Inflow Affect Bitcoin Price?

After receiving funds, ETF issuers need to buy corresponding Bitcoin, directly increasing buying pressure in the spot market. On that day, Bitcoin price simultaneously broke above $79,000, reflecting the correlation between inflows and price gains. It should be noted that single-day data does not represent a long-term trend, but it shows a phase of increased institutional participation.

Why Did Bitcoin Rise More Than 23% This Week?

Bitcoin rose more than 23% this week and briefly broke above $79,000, mainly driven by factors including the U.S. Treasury Department expanding long-term bond buybacks, falling long-term yields (such as the 10-year Treasury yield, which reflects long-term funding costs), and strong gains in crypto-related stocks. Multiple macro and market factors converged, giving crypto assets strong buying momentum.

How Did the U.S. Treasury Buyback Operation Affect Bitcoin?

According to Cointelegraph, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it would at least double buyback operations for 10-20 year and 20-30 year Treasury bonds, an operation that lowered long-term yields and was seen by some market participants as a "non-QE" liquidity release signal. Risk assets (including Bitcoin) benefited, and Bitcoin price subsequently rose more than 6% to nearly $69,000, the highest since early June. For related market reactions to this operation, see Treasury buyback drives crypto rebound.

What Macro Factors Drove the Crypto Market Rebound?

• Falling long-term yields: Lower the opportunity cost of holding non-interest-bearing assets, enhancing Bitcoin's relative attractiveness.
• Strong gains in crypto-related stocks: Mining company Canaan surged over 25%, Strive, which holds over 20,000 Bitcoin, rose over 16%, and Coinbase and Robinhood recorded double-digit gains, lifting overall crypto sentiment.
• Policy expectations: Trump called for advancing the CLARITY Act and revisited the possibility of government Bitcoin purchases, strengthening market expectations for a regulatory-friendly environment.

How Does Trump's Crypto Policy Affect Bitcoin Price?

Trump called on Congress to advance the CLARITY Act (a legislative proposal aimed at providing a clearer regulatory framework for crypto assets) and revisited the possibility of large-scale government Bitcoin purchases, providing policy support for Bitcoin price and likely boosting bullish sentiments. Although policy implementation remains uncertain, such statements can stimulate risk appetite in the short term.

What Does the CLARITY Act Mean for the Crypto Market?

The CLARITY Act aims to provide a clearer regulatory framework for crypto assets. Although the details of the bill were not elaborated in the source report, some market participants interpreted it as an important step toward clarifying crypto regulation at the U.S. federal level, helping reduce compliance uncertainty.

How Likely Is a U.S. Government Bitcoin Purchase?

Trump mentioned "large-scale" Bitcoin purchases, but it remains at the stage of political statements, with no specific execution plan or budget details disclosed. Therefore, this is more of a sentiment catalyst than an imminent policy. Investors should view it as a news-driven factor, not a certain event.

How Did Ethereum and Crypto-Related Stocks Perform?

Driven by Bitcoin's rise, Ethereum rose nearly 30% over the same period to above $2,400, mining company Canaan surged over 25%, and Coinbase and Robinhood also recorded double-digit gains. The entire crypto ecosystem and related stocks showed broad gains, reflecting a full recovery in market risk appetite.

How Much Did Ethereum Rise?

Ethereum rose nearly 30% over the same period, with its price climbing to above $2,400. As the second-largest crypto asset by market cap, its gain even exceeded Bitcoin's, showing the follow-through elasticity of the altcoin market.

Which Crypto Stocks Rose the Most?

• Canaan: surged over 25%, as the Bitcoin mining company directly benefited from the price increase.
• Strive: holds over 20,000 Bitcoin, rose over 16%, as its balance sheet value increased with the price.
• Coinbase and Robinhood: both recorded double-digit gains, as crypto trading platforms whose fee revenue expectations improve with increased trading activity.

Data Summary (as of August 2026)

Asset / Subject	Performance	Notes
Bitcoin	Rose more than 23% this week, briefly broke above $79,000	Phase high
Ethereum	Rose nearly 30%, climbed above $2,400	Higher gain than Bitcoin
Spot Bitcoin ETF	Single-day net inflow of $517 million	Largest since early May
Canaan	Surged over 25%	Mining company
Strive	Rose over 16%	Holds over 20,000 BTC
Coinbase / Robinhood	Double-digit gains	Crypto trading platforms

FAQ

What Is Standard Chartered's Latest Bitcoin Forecast?

Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick said on August 24, 2026, that his year-end $100,000 Bitcoin price target may be too low, and that Bitcoin could rise toward its all-time high of $126,000 before the end of the year. The forecast is mainly based on short covering and recovering spot Bitcoin ETF inflows.

What Does the $517 Million Single-Day Net Inflow into Spot Bitcoin ETFs Mean?

It was the largest single-day net inflow since early May, possibly indicating institutional investors are returning to the crypto market. ETF inflows increase spot buying and support prices, and on that day Bitcoin simultaneously broke above $79,000.

Why Did Bitcoin Surge More Than 23% This Week?

Main factors include the U.S. Treasury expanding long-term bond buybacks leading to lower long-term yields, strong gains in crypto-related stocks, and Trump calling for advancing the CLARITY Act boosting policy expectations. These factors jointly pushed Bitcoin to briefly break above $79,000.

How Does Trump's Crypto Policy Affect Bitcoin?

Trump called on Congress to advance the CLARITY Act and revisited the possibility of large-scale government Bitcoin purchases, providing policy support for the market and boosting bullish sentiment. However, the relevant policies have not yet been implemented, and the impact is mostly at the sentiment level.

How Did Ethereum and Crypto Stocks Perform?

Driven by Bitcoin, Ethereum rose nearly 30% to above $2,400; mining company Canaan surged over 25%, Strive rose over 16%, and Coinbase and Robinhood recorded double-digit gains, showing a broad rally.

What Is the Outlook for Bitcoin?

This article only provides market facts and analytical views, not investment advice. Analyst views suggest upside potential, but crypto assets are highly volatile and prices are affected by multiple factors. Investors should do their own research and be aware of risks.

Is the $126,000 Bitcoin Price Target Reliable?

This is a judgment made by Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick based on short covering and recovering spot ETF inflows, and is not a deterministic forecast. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and actual prices may deviate significantly from the target, so it does not constitute investment advice.

How to Invest in Bitcoin?

You can participate through spot Bitcoin ETFs or regulated cryptocurrency exchange, but you need to be aware of market risks and regulatory policy changes. This article does not constitute investment advice, and investors should do their own research and be aware of risks.