Standard Chartered Sees $8 XRP If SEC Drops Appeal, ETFs Could Spark Big Institutional Flows

Wall Street is increasingly upbeat on XRP’s medium-term upside, with some analysts forecasting big gains if regulatory hurdles clear and institutional demand accelerates. The headline call comes from Standard Chartered’s Geoffrey Kendrick, who has put an $8 year-end target on XRP — roughly a 315% rise from current levels near $1.90. Kendrick’s bull case hinges on two major catalysts: the SEC dropping its appeal against Ripple and approval of spot XRP ETFs, which he expects would draw meaningful institutional flows. Key takeaways - Analyst range: Wall Street estimates for XRP in 2026 vary widely, roughly $2.00 to $8.60, with Standard Chartered among the most bullish. - Kendrick’s target: $8 by year-end (≈315% upside from ~$1.90). - Probability outlook: A Monte Carlo simulation of 10,000 price paths gives a 60% probability XRP trades between $1.04 and $3.40 by December 2026, with a median outcome of $1.88. - Scenario bands: Conservative views put fair value between $2.00–$5.00; optimistic models extend to $5.00–$15.00. - More modest forecast: Some analysts expect about $3 in 2026 (≈58% gain). What’s driving the bullish case - Regulatory clarity: The expectation that the SEC will halt its appeal against Ripple is central to the upside scenario, removing a major legal overhang. - Spot ETFs: November saw launches of spot XRP ETFs from managers including Franklin Templeton. These products reduce exchange friction for institutional investors. Analysts point to the Bitcoin ETF playbook — which helped send BTC roughly 90% higher after January 2024 approvals — as a precedent for meaningful inflows. - Institutional adoption: ETFs and clearer rules could unlock large, well-capitalized buyers, a prime driver in Kendrick’s thesis. Supporting narrative — and caveats Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has staked a bold vision for adoption, saying the XRP blockchain could capture 14% of SWIFT’s payment volume within five years — an amount he equates to over $20 trillion in transactions. Such adoption scenarios help justify the most aggressive price models, but they’re far from guaranteed. At the same time, XRP has fallen about 7% year-to-date, underscoring the market’s sensitivity to macro and regulatory developments. Analysts are split: while Standard Chartered leans bullish, other voices remain skeptical or more conservative about multi-dollar targets. Bottom line XRP’s 2026 outlook now hinges largely on regulatory outcomes and ETF-driven institutional demand. If the SEC’s legal headwinds fade and spot ETFs attract big capital, the case for materially higher prices strengthens. But forecasts vary widely, so investors should weigh both upside scenarios and the sizeable risks that remain. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news