Key takeaways:

• The CoinCodex price prediction algorithm forecasts Ethereum price will surpass $10,000 by 2028 and reach $35,000 by 2037
• Coincidentally, Standard Chartered Bank’s lead researcher believes that ETH will reach $8,000 by the end of 2026 and consolidate in the $26,000 to $35,000 range in the long term
• The reasons for Ethereum’s price increases include BTC halving, gaming, and tokenization, with the launch of an Ethereum spot ETF being the most immediate one

Ethereum price could reach as high as ,000, according to Standard Chartered Bank’s head of research

The price of Ethereum has been on a downward trend since April, when the second-largest crypto recorded its yearly high of $2,133. The cryptocurrency is currently changing hands at $1,564, down roughly -27% since its YTD high and nearly -70% removed from its ATH of $4,867 in 2021.

But the fortunes of ETH holders might soon be changing for the better. According to head of forex and crypto research at Standard Chartered Bank, Geoffrey Kendrick, we could see Ethereum retest the $4,000 by the end of 2024. What’s more, Kendrick says that ETH/USD will reach $8,000 by the end of 2026 and proceed to climb to between $26,000 and $35,000 – a price range Kendrick identifies as Ethereum’s "long-term structural valuation."

Standard Chartered believes gaming and tokenization trends hold the most growth potential for Ethereum. Source: Standard Chartered Research

Standard Chartered’s lead analyst believes that the reasons for the massive price increase are gaming, tokenization, upcoming BTC halving, and regulatory breakthroughs that might lead to the launch of an Ethereum ETF in the US. The launch of an ETF is the most immediate potential price catalyst, so let’s explore that further.

Ethereum spot ETF could be an immediate price catalyst

On October 2nd, we saw the launch of nine different ETFs that provide investors with exposure to Ethereum. This includes products launched by asset managers Bitwise, ProShares, VanEck, Valkyrie, Kelly, and VolShares. These ETFs are based on the price of Ethereum futures contracts traded on the CFTC-regulated exchange CME.

Just like with Bitcoin, U.S. investors don’t yet have access to a spot Ethereum ETF. However, there are markets where investors can already buy Ethereum ETFs that actually hold ether. For example, spot Ethereum ETFs are available in both Europe and Canada. Some asset managers are pushing to launch Ethereum spot ETFs in the U.S. market. For example, Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest submitted a filing with the SEC to launch such a product, and Grayscale is looking to convert their Ethereum trust into a spot ETF.

In early October, former BlackRock managing director Steven Schoenfield told the panel at CCData’s Digital Asset Summit in London that he gives “three to six months” before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approves a Bitcoin spot ETF. He also said that he believes that a spot ETF could facilitate up to $200 billion in fresh capital flowing into the Bitcoin market.

It’s reasonable to assume that approval for an Ethereum spot ETF would follow soon after a Bitcoin spot ETF – in the end, the SEC considers both assets commodities so there’s no regulatory barrier on that front. It is also reasonable to assume that capital inflows would represent a decent chunk of a Bitcoin ETF.

Ethereum price prediction 2024-2030 

According to our Ethereum price prediction model, ETH could surpass $8,000 by the end of 2025, which is largely in line with the prediction made by Kendrick. This price increase would coincide with the next Bitcoin halving, which is expected to happen in Q1 2024. Historically speaking, BTC halvings have arguably been the most important market events in crypto, driving prices to new highs roughly every four years.

AI predicts Ethereum to reach as high as $12,700 by 2029.

By the end of the 2020s, the model expects Ethereum to surpass $10,000. Going forward, the price of ETH could reach $35,000 by 2037, which is again broadly in line with the model presented by Kendrick.

It is worth noting that the Ethereum Rainbow Chart, a logarithmically plotted chart of ETH’s historical and (potential) future price moves, predicts a mean value of ETH by the end of 2028 at roughly $9,200.

The bottom line: Predictions are one thing, reality is another

You should note that no matter the quality of prediction models and how many factors are taken into account, there is a decent chance that the future doesn’t pan out as predicted. There are simply too many variables that can impact the markets and render predictions virtually worthless. Still, analyzing historical price movements and creating price prediction models can offer great insight into market movements and serve an important role when trying to understand the behavior of the markets.

That said, there are sound reasons to assume that ETH might be primed for an upswing in the future. Setting aside the cyclical nature of crypto markets driven by BTC halvings, Ethereum’s role as a financial hub of the crypto ecosystem is undeniable, and if the ecosystem continues to grow, so will Ethereum.

If you want to learn more about the potential long-term price movements of ETH, check out our Ethereum price predictions for 2040 and 2050.