Standard Chartered: Ethereum and ETH Treasury Firms Offer Prime Buying Opportunity
Standard Chartered, one of the major international banks, has identified Ethereum (ETH) and companies with ETH holdings as undervalued, presenting a prime investment opportunity following a recent market correction.
Standard Chartered’s analysis, led by Geoffrey Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s head of digital assets research, sees Ethereum’s strong fundamentals and the growing role of ETH treasury companies, making them attractive assets in the fast-growing crypto landscape.
Ethereum’s Price Pullback Signals Buying Opportunity
Ethereum (ETH) is trading at approximately $4,592 as of Aug. 27, 2025, down from its all-time high of $4,953 on Aug. 24, 2025, according to CoinMarketCap data.
ETH Price Chart (Source: CoinMarketCap)
Kendrick sees this dip as a tactical entry point, maintaining a year-end 2025 price target of $7,500 for ETH and a long-term price target of $25,000 by 2028, driven by strong institutional demand and Ethereum’s differentiated market position.
Spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have absorbed 2.3% of the circulating ETH supply since June 2025, and ETH treasury companies have acquired an additional 1.9%, totaling 4.2% of the supply.
Ethereum’s proof-of-stake model, which offers a staking yield of approximately 3%, is a feature Bitcoin does not have, offering investors passive income potential. This yield, combined with Ethereum’s dominance in decentralized finance (DeFi) and smart contract applications, supports its resilience despite market volatility.
The recent signing of the GENIUS Act into law by President Trump in July 2025 provides regulatory clarity for stablecoins and further boosts the demand for ETH.
Ethereum hosts over 50% of the $254 billion stablecoin market as well, driving a major transaction fee revenue. Kendrick predicts that ETH will surpass its all-time high by Q3 2025, urging investors to capitalize on current levels.
ETH Treasury Companies Offer Unique Value Proposition
Standard Chartered also said that ETH treasury companies, such as SharpLink Gaming (SBET) and BitMine Immersion (BMNR), are undervalued relative to their net asset value (NAV).
Those companies trade at a discount compared to Bitcoin-focused companies like Strategy (MSTR), which lack the staking yield advantage. SharpLink holds 797,704 ETH, valued at approximately $3.68 billion, while BitMine holds 1,713,899 ETH.
Top 10 ETH Treasury Firms (Source: StrategicETHReserve)
Unlike MSTR, which relies solely on Bitcoin price appreciation, ETH treasury companies are supported by staking yields, which ultimately improves their investment appeal.
These companies are actively accumulating ETH, with projections suggesting they could hold up to 10% of the circulating supply in the future.
Unlike U.S. spot ETH ETFs, which are restricted from staking or DeFi participation due to regulatory constraints, treasury firms face no such limitations, allowing them to leverage Ethereum’s full ecosystem.
Standard Chartered argues that their current valuations offer an attractive option for investors who seek exposure to Ethereum’s ecosystem.
Ethereum’s DeFi Dominance Supports Long-Term Growth
Ethereum’s ecosystem growth is supported by strong institutional adoption and technological advancements. Spot ETH ETFs recorded $1.02 billion in single-day inflows on Aug. 11, 2025, a testament to the strong investor interest.
Ethereum’s 65% share of DeFi’s total value locked and its leadership in NFTs reinforce its market dominance. Planned network upgrades to increase Layer 1 throughput by 10x further improve Ethereum’s scalability, supporting Standard Chartered’s $25,000 price target by 2028.
