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According to a post by CoinMarketCap on X, Geoff Kendrick, the Global Head of Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered Bank, expects that the number of announcements related to traditional financial institutions accessing DeFi may increase by 10 to 20 times in the next 3 to 12 months.

According to The Block, Standard Chartered stated that it maintains its price prediction of Bitcoin reaching $100,000 by the end of 2026. The recent market decline triggered by movements related to Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) is not due to a deterioration of the company's balance sheet, but rather a failure of the strategic adjustments to be fully understood by the market.Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Asset Research at Standard Chartered, pointed out in a report that Strategy's recent behavior is disrupting short-term market expectations for Bitcoin. The market had previously accepted the narrative of the company "never selling Bitcoin," but now Strategy seems to be shifting towards a more complex capital operation model. Whether this change can be clearly communicated will determine when market pressure eases.Currently, Strategy holds 843,775 Bitcoins, accounting for over 4% of the total supply of 21 million Bitcoins. Between 2020 and mid-2025, Strategy's mNAV (market value/Bitcoin asset value) has remained above 1, allowing the company to finance Bitcoin purchases through stock issuance and achieve shareholder value growth.The commitment to "never sell Bitcoin" is the core of this model gaining market recognition. However, as the current mNAV approaches 1, the leverage effect of this financing model is weakening. Kendrick believes that Strategy is transitioning from a "Bitcoin accumulation tool" to a "Bitcoin credit support tool," meaning it holds Bitcoin as the credit basis for its perpetual preferred stock STRC.STRC currently has a scale of about $10 billion, making it the largest financial instrument launched by Strategy, with an annualized dividend yield of 12%, paid in cash every half month, and its price maintained around the $100 par value through an interest rate adjustment mechanism. Standard Chartered stated that STRC is currently trading at about $90, while Strategy has a dollar reserve of about $2.55 billion for paying dividends, which can cover approximately 17.4 months of dividend expenses.Kendrick stated that the policy adjustment allowing the sale of Bitcoin does not necessarily mean the company will continue to sell. He believes that as long as the market believes the new capital structure arrangement can stabilize the STRC price, Strategy may not actually need to sell Bitcoin. He likened this mechanism to a central bank's commitment to "take action no matter what": restoring market confidence alone may mean that actual intervention might not occur at all.

According to official news, Standard Chartered Bank announced a partnership with Circle to launch the USDC minting and redemption access capabilities for institutional clients, becoming the first global systemically important bank to offer such integrated services. Eligible institutional clients can use USDC through a single account opening and service process without needing to open a Circle account directly.Initially, the service will be provided through Standard Chartered's operations in the Dubai International Financial Centre, supporting scenarios such as on-chain settlement, fund management, and liquidity management, with plans to expand to more markets after obtaining regulatory approval.

According to The Block, Standard Chartered Bank has initiated coverage on Morpho for the first time, setting a target price of $60 for its native token MORPHO by the end of 2030, representing a potential increase of approximately 2787%.Geoff Kendrick, Head of Global Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered, provided annual forecasts in the report: $3.5 in 2026, $11 in 2027, $22 in 2028, $40 in 2029, and reaching $60 in 2030.The report noted that Morpho is the second-largest decentralized lending protocol after Aave, with current deposits in Morpho Markets of approximately $5.5 billion and a scale of about $4.3 billion in Morpho Vaults. Analysts believe that as the total assets in DeFi are expected to grow 37 times by 2030, Morpho is likely to benefit from this.Standard Chartered previously predicted that by 2030, the upside potential for UNI is approximately 34 times, and for AAVE, it is about 38 times.

Standard Chartered stated that Aave could rise 50 times to $3,500 by 2030. The bank expects that as DeFi assets grow 37 times and tokenized finance goes on-chain, Aave will benefit.

Standard Chartered Bank has initiated coverage of the decentralized trading protocol Uniswap, predicting that its UNI token could rise from the current approximately $2.7 to $100 by the end of 2030, representing an increase of nearly 40 times. Geoffrey Kendrick, the global head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, stated that the next wave of wealth opportunities in the digital asset space may come from DeFi protocols. The core logic is that the scale of tokenized assets entering DeFi will significantly increase, thereby enhancing the trading asset base and fee potential of protocols like Uniswap.Standard Chartered expects that the scale of on-chain tokenized assets will grow from the current approximately $340 billion to $4 trillion by the end of 2028; of which the proportion entering DeFi will rise from the current approximately 3.5% to 30% by the end of 2030. Coupled with the growth of crypto-native assets, the locked assets in DeFi could reach approximately $2.7 trillion, an increase of about 37 times from the current level. Kendrick believes that if Uniswap can successfully commercialize and establish sufficiently scaled partnerships with traditional financial institutions, the valuation multiple between its market capitalization and trading fees is expected to increase, narrowing the gap with centralized trading platforms like Coinbase.Standard Chartered's projected price path for UNI is: $6.5 by the end of 2026, $20 by the end of 2027, $40 by the end of 2028, $65 by the end of 2029, and $100 by the end of 2030, and it is expected that UNI's performance during this period may outperform ETH and BTC.

According to Caixin, Standard Chartered's Head of Financial and Strategic Clients for Hong Kong, Greater China, and North Asia, Zeng Jizhi, stated that Standard Chartered is studying the feasibility of establishing its own gold storage in Hong Kong and is considering different site options.If the plan materializes, Hong Kong is expected to become the first market where Standard Chartered Group establishes its own gold storage, and it would be one of the few banks to have its own storage in Hong Kong. Currently, Standard Chartered has already provided physical gold trading and related options financing services to Commercial and Investment Banking (CIB) clients. If the self-established gold storage is established, it could extend services to comprehensive gold trading services, including executing transactions, settlement, and storage.

According to Cointelegraph, Standard Chartered Bank predicts in its latest research report that by 2030, the locked assets in decentralized finance (DeFi) will reach approximately $2.7 trillion, growing about 37 times from current levels. The report points out that this growth will be primarily driven by the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) and the migration of crypto-native assets to on-chain protocols.Geoff Kendrick, Head of Digital Asset Research at Standard Chartered, stated that the next round of "structural growth opportunities" in digital assets will come from DeFi protocols, and it is expected that by 2030, the proportion of tokenized assets entering the DeFi system will increase from the current approximately 3.5% to about 30%.Current data shows that only about 3% of stablecoins and 10% of tokenized real assets are actually used in DeFi protocols, indicating significant room for penetration. The report also emphasizes that achieving the $2.7 trillion target will rely on the rapid expansion of tokenized asset scale and a significant improvement in on-chain capital efficiency. Previously, Standard Chartered predicted that by 2028, the scale of tokenized non-stablecoin real assets would reach $2 trillion, with money market funds and U.S. stocks becoming major components.At the infrastructure level, the report mentions that decentralized trading protocols like Uniswap could become important trading hubs for tokenized assets and notes that traditional financial institutions will focus more on security and stability when entering the on-chain market. However, analysts also warn that tokenization does not necessarily lead to increased liquidity, and fragmentation between different chains and asset standards may still limit market depth and unified pricing capability.

According to BBX data, last week institutional research qualitatively shifted historically, with Bitcoin reserve companies accelerating deleveraging. The core dynamics are as follows:Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Asset Research at Standard Chartered PLC (LSE: $STAN), released a research report on June 12, officially declaring that "the crypto winter is likely over." He believes that the $59,000 level for Bitcoin has formed the low point of this bear market cycle, marking a significant turning point in market sentiment. Kendrick stated that a large amount of IPO allocation funds will flow back into risk assets after the SpaceX IPO, and the funding flow for Bitcoin spot ETFs is expected to achieve a structural reversal after this adjustment, combined with the continuous expansion of corporate reserve demand, supporting his view with three factors. This is the strongest "bear end" qualitative statement from institutional research so far in 2026— the last similar clear statement came from the same team at Standard Chartered in December 2023, after which Bitcoin confirmed a breakthrough of historical highs in 2024.Nakamoto Inc. (NASDAQ: $NAKA) (Nashville, a Bitcoin operating company, also operating Bitcoin Magazine) disclosed a series of balance sheet optimization measures through an official press release on BusinessWire on June 11: selling approximately 600 BTC and Bitcoin-related derivatives, netting about $48 million, to repay a $45 million loan to Kraken (Payward Interactive); the remaining loan balance is $165 million USDT (down from the original $210 million), restructured under new terms: $60 million USDT maturing on December 4, 2026, and $105 million USDT extended to June 30, 2027; the new interest rate is reduced to 7.75% (previously 8%), requiring the maintenance of 2,000 BTC as collateral in a Bitwise Asset Management custodial account, saving approximately $4 million in annual financing costs; the board also approved a $25 million stock repurchase plan (as of December 31, 2026). After the transaction, the company holds approximately 4,467 BTC (approximately $284 million, estimated at recent prices); the company previously completed a 1-for-40 reverse stock split at the end of May and received confirmation from Nasdaq on June 9 that it has restored compliance with the minimum $1 share price requirement; after the news was announced, $NAKA briefly rose about 20% during trading.

According to CoinDesk, Standard Chartered Bank analyst Geoffrey Kendrick stated in a report on Friday that the cryptocurrency market has reached the final bottom of this monetary cycle. The cycle low for Bitcoin is currently set at $59,000, down 53% from the historical high of $126,000 reached on October 6. Kendrick expects that by the end of this year, the price of Ethereum will reach $4,000, and the price of Bitcoin will reach $100,000.He pointed out that there are two core factors supporting this market rebound. First, in recent weeks, Bitcoin spot ETFs have faced the most severe sell-off since their inception. Since the second week of May, total redemptions have exceeded $5.72 billion. He also noted that it is rumored that ETF holders have been liquidating their positions to free up funds to participate in SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO). Kendrick stated that SpaceX's IPO this Friday could end the current selling pressure.Second, if the G7-related peace agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran is true, it would help prevent oil prices from skyrocketing. A decline in oil prices would suppress the rising U.S. Treasury yields, thereby alleviating the macro pressure on the cryptocurrency market. To confirm that the market bottom is solid, Kendrick will closely monitor in the coming days: the news on Monday about Strategy (MSTR) increasing its Bitcoin holdings this week; whether the U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF can restore net inflows this Friday.

According to The Block, Geoffrey Kendrick, the head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered Bank, stated that "the bottom has almost appeared" for Bitcoin after a recent sharp decline, with the current range of about $63,000 being a "buying range." He pointed out that since February, the overall holdings of the U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF have remained stable, with no concentrated redemptions that would raise concerns, indicating that funds are more "structurally stable."Kendrick expects that after the recent selling pressure triggered by Strategy's sale of 32 BTC, there may be a buyback at a scale of 10 times or even 100 times, following historical practices, which could signal the confirmation of a temporary low. He also cautioned that there is still a downside risk of Bitcoin falling below $60,000, but believes that buying in batches is preferable to trying to time the bottom precisely. The bank maintains its year-end targets of $100,000 for Bitcoin and $4,000 for Ethereum.

According to The Block, Standard Chartered Bank's Head of Digital Asset Research Geoffrey Kendrick stated that Strategy's decision to reduce its holdings by 32 bitcoins last week may mark the beginning of a new phase of "outperformance" for Ethereum relative to Bitcoin. Kendrick pointed out that although the scale of the reduction is "very small," against the backdrop of Bitcoin's decline on that day, ETH/BTC experienced a significant upward movement rarely seen in recent years. He expects ETH/BTC to rise to about 0.04 by the end of this year, currently around 0.028. Kendrick maintains his price targets of $4,000 for ETH by the end of the year and $40,000 by 2030, and stated that the Ethereum treasury can "sell coins with zero necessity" through approximately 3% staking yields, making it easier to achieve a higher net asset multiple (mNAV) and financing capability compared to the Bitcoin treasury.

According to Decrypt, analysts at Standard Chartered Bank pointed out in a report on Thursday that the current price of Ethereum does not reflect the growth in its on-chain transaction volume, nor does it reflect the value of digital assets deposited in DeFi applications. The price of Ethereum has "significant room" to catch up with its internal metrics, as its native network is expected to benefit from Wall Street's steady migration to digital assets.Ethereum has dominated the stablecoin and tokenization markets, which are set to experience rapid growth. Analysts reiterated a year-end target price of $4,000 for Ethereum, predicting it could reach $40,000 by 2030. This would bring the price ratio of Ethereum to Bitcoin back up to 0.08. Standard Chartered stated that year-to-date, stablecoins have accounted for 33% of Ethereum transactions.The "Economic Zone" supported by the Ethereum Foundation will launch this summer, further enhancing on-chain activity. As real-world assets go on-chain, if RWAs grow as expected by 50 times, the importance of Ethereum will increase dramatically, with transaction volume and total locked value continuously setting new historical highs.

According to The Block, Standard Chartered Bank believes that the recent sharp decline in ETH prices does not reflect the continuous improvement of internal indicators on the Ethereum network, comparing it to Amazon's phase after the tech bubble burst in 2001. The bank maintains its ETH price targets: $4,000 by the end of 2026 and $40,000 by the end of 2030, and expects the ETH/BTC exchange rate to rebound to about 0.08 by the end of this decade.The bank stated that Ethereum dominates the stablecoin and RWA (real-world asset tokenization) sectors, expecting the market value of both stablecoins and non-stablecoin RWAs to increase to about $2 trillion by 2028, which will drive Ethereum's trading volume and TVL to new highs, pushing ETH prices upward.

According to CoinDesk, United Texas Bank (UTB) has received approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to convert from a state-chartered bank to a national-chartered bank, becoming one of the first banks to complete the OCC conversion since the Dodd-Frank Act was passed 15 years ago. The bank's CEO Scott Beck stated that this move gives it the same federal license and direct access to the Federal Reserve payment system as large banks like Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase.The bank currently clears about $10 billion monthly for global crypto enterprises and has launched the AI-driven real-time payment network UTB Atomic and the compliance platform UTB Prism Sentinel to restore 24/7 crypto liquidity. The bank also plans to launch a digital asset custody and trust services division this summer.