Citi Sees Bitcoin Hitting $181K in 2026 as ETF Flows Drive Crypto Higher

Citi (C) sees crypto heading into the new year with modest but meaningful momentum, projecting upside for both bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) into year-end and beyond, the Wall Street bank said in a report on Wednesday.

For year-end 2025, Citi now expects to peg bitcoin at $133,000, a slight trim from its prior $135,000 forecast, and ether at $4,500, up from $4,300.

The bank’s scenarios still span wide ranges: bitcoin could finish as high as $156,000 if equity markets rally and flows accelerate, or as low as $83,000 under recessionary conditions. Ether’s upside bull case stands at $6,100, while its bear case remains considerably lower.

Bitcoin was trading around $119,550 at publication time, while ether was at $4,407.

Looking 12 months out, Citi sets a bitcoin target of $181,000, with the call entirely premised on sustained inflows, particularly through exchange-traded fund (ETFs). The bank expects ether to hit $5,400 in a years time.

Citi says bitcoin is better positioned to capture new inflows thanks to its scale and “digital gold” narrative, while ether may benefit from staking and DeFi-linked yields

Favorable regulation, particularly in the U.S., should act as a tailwind, but Citi cautions that macro risks such as recessionary pressures could still derail the bull case.

Read more: Wall Street Bank Citigroup Sees Ether Falling to $4,300 by Year-End