Geoffrey Kendrick, the global head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered Bank, is making waves on Wall Street with his bold predictions for Bitcoin and XRP in the coming years. Despite a challenging 2025 for cryptocurrencies, largely influenced by economic and geopolitical factors like tariffs, Kendrick expresses confidence that substantial gains are on the horizon. He forecasts Bitcoin will soar to $225,000 by 2027, reflecting a potential upside of 155% from its current value of $88,000. In contrast, he anticipates XRP reaching $10.40, suggesting a staggering 455% increase from its present price of $1.87.
Kendrick attributes part of his optimism to the supportive regulatory landscape emerging under the current administration. President Trump has taken significant steps to bolster the cryptocurrency sector, including creating a working group aimed at enhancing American leadership in digital finance and signing executive orders to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve. This move, along with the passage of the Genius Act—which outlines a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins—has added an encouraging layer of clarity to the regulatory environment.
Additionally, Kendrick noted that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is actively engaging with the crypto space by forming a dedicated task force and rescinding previous regulations that may have hindered institutional adoption. Specifically, the removal of Staff Accounting Bulletin 121, a rule from the prior administration, is expected to facilitate greater investment in digital assets by financial institutions.
As for Bitcoin itself, demand largely stems from treasury companies—firms that hold substantial Bitcoin reserves. Notably, MicroStrategy has made headlines with its massive holdings. However, Kendrick suggests that this model may become less influential over time and could even pose challenges in the short term. The real game changer, he argues, will be the introduction of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which provide easier access to Bitcoin and can attract institutional investments, crucial for long-term price growth.
Current market conditions indicate Bitcoin is approximately 30% below its all-time high, which historically has presented advantageous buying opportunities for long-term investors. Recommendations have been made by financial institutions like Morgan Stanley, advising that those with a high risk tolerance limit their crypto investments to 4% of their portfolios, while those more risk-averse should cap it at 2%.
In terms of XRP, the cryptocurrency associated with the XRP Ledger, Kendrick suggests it plays a pivotal role in streamlining cross-border transactions. Ripple, the fintech firm behind XRP, aims for significant market penetration of SWIFT’s transaction volume, but skepticism exists regarding its potential saturating influence due to competition from established stablecoins.
Ripple has introduced its own stablecoin, Ripple USD, which could foster XRP demand by issuing fees in XRP for transactions. However, initial reception indicates a decline in XRP transaction volume following the launch, raising questions about its traction with financial institutions.
The recent approval of spot XRP ETFs has injected some optimism, with asset under management surpassing $1 billion since inception, though still trailing behind Bitcoin’s impressive start. While Kendrick’s outlook on Bitcoin appears sustainable, analysts express hesitance about XRP’s ambitious price targets, advocating for a cautious approach to investment strategies in the cryptocurrency space. Overall, the prevailing sentiment appears to favor Bitcoin over XRP, especially given the former’s more solidified position in the market trajectory.
