Ethereum Set for Over 40% Outperformance of Bitcoin by End of 2026, Says Standard Chartered

Geoffrey Kendrick, head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, has made a significant prediction about the performance of Ethereum and Bitcoin in 2026. He believes that Ethereum will outperform Bitcoin by over 40% by the end of the year, driven by the structural advantages of its staking model.

The sale of 32 Bitcoins by Strategy last week may have seemed like a minor event in dollar terms, but Kendrick sees it as a sign of things to come. He points to Ether's relative strength on the day of the sale announcement, despite broad declines in crypto prices, and notes that since then ETH has appreciated 5% relative to BTC.

Kendrick's argument is centered around the idea that Ethereum's staking model allows treasury companies to generate yield without needing to sell assets or issue shares. This, he believes, will become a key differentiator between Bitcoin and Ethereum as the market evolves. In contrast, Bitcoin treasury firms rely on price appreciation and capital markets activity to fund operations.