Citi Cuts 12-Month Bitcoin and Ether Price Targets Amid ETF Slowdown
Citi analysts lowered their year-ahead crypto price forecasts as exchange-traded fund inflows weaken, signaling fading institutional momentum.
Citi has slashed its 12-month price targets for both bitcoin and ether, citing a notable slowdown in exchange-traded fund flows that had previously fueled a surge in institutional demand for the two largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, according to a report from CoinDesk.
The bank's analysts pointed to drying ETF inflows as the primary catalyst behind the downgrade, reflecting a broader cooling of the institutional enthusiasm that helped propel crypto assets to record highs in the months following the launch of spot bitcoin ETFs in the United States. When institutional buying pressure fades, forward price models built on sustained inflow assumptions require significant revision.
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The move by Citi underscores a wider reassessment playing out across Wall Street, where early optimism about ETF-driven crypto adoption is now being tempered by the reality that retail and institutional investors have moderated their pace of new allocations. Analyst target cuts from major banks carry weight in traditional finance circles and can influence how asset managers size their crypto exposure going forward.
For everyday investors, the revision serves as a reminder that ETF inflows — while a powerful structural tailwind — are not guaranteed to remain elevated, and that price targets from major financial institutions are probabilistic forecasts rather than certainties. Crypto markets remain highly sensitive to shifts in macro conditions, regulatory developments, and the rhythm of institutional capital flows.
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