Standard Chartered slashes 2026 XRP price target from $8 to $2.80 amid market selloff

Standard Chartered slashed its end-2026 price target for XRP by nearly 65%, reducing it from $8 to $2.80. This outcome comes after the crypto market lost almost $2 trillion since October, and XRP has been trading way below its previous high of $3.66.

According to the bank’s Global Head of Digital Assets Research, such a low target reflects short-term pressure in the crypto market. However, Standard Chartered still maintained its XRP forecast at $28 for 2030.

Standard Chartered lowers its price target for XRP as the crypto market weakens

Standard Chartered lowered its price target for XRP to $2.80 by the end of 2026, down from $8. While this sounds dramatic, the bank sees short-term pressures affecting many tokens at once as it also trimmed its expectations for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. 

Specifically, Standard Chartered reduced its target for Bitcoin from $150,000 to $100,000, Ethereum from $7,000 to $4,000, and Solana from $250 to $135. These changes indicate that the bank is cautious amid digital assets’ struggle to maintain their previous highs. 

Despite these near-term concerns, ongoing developments in stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets could trigger long-term support for XRP and Ethereum.

What’s more, the downgrade sparked divided opinions and debate among investors, as some see it as a wake-up call that the market may have bitten off more than it can chew. Alternatively, others view these predictions as overly ambitious, especially the prediction that XRP will reach $8 this year. 

XRP investors debate downgrade, with some calling it realistic, not fatal

People are trying to make sense of what Standard Chartered’s XRP revision really means for the token’s future. On the one hand, some say there may be little room for dramatic growth in the near term, as users have already captured the token’s gains. Some even describe the reduction as a “funeral” for earlier bullish expectations, which shows disappointment and caution.

At the same time, a number of investors consider the new $2.80 target more realistic, as they never expected XRP to reach $8 this year. To them, these revisions are simply a reflection of market conditions, not a sign of failure.

Furthermore, some noted that negative sentiment may be more about timing than the asset’s long-term potential, as posts predicting doom often appear just before prices rebound. In other words, this perspective highlights that short-term dips are part of normal market fluctuations.

Building on these differing views, traders noted that volatility creates opportunities and isn’t inherently bad.

For instance, price swings can benefit active traders who will profit from changes in direction, as long-term traders focus on the bigger picture. Thus, the current dip may stress some, but it also opens the door to renewed interest when the market stabilizes. 

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