Bitcoin gets 'base case' price target of $143,000 at Citigroup
TL;DR
Citigroup forecasts Bitcoin could reach $143,000 within 12 months as its base case, driven by revived ETF demand and positive market forecasts. The bear case predicts $78,500 amid a global recession, while the bull case sees $189,000 with increased investor demand.
Key Takeaways
- •Citigroup's base case forecasts Bitcoin rising to $143,000 within 12 months, driven by revived ETF demand and positive market outlook.
- •Analysts identify $70,000 as a key support level for Bitcoin, noting it was the price ahead of Trump's 2024 election victory.
- •The bear case predicts Bitcoin falling to $78,500 if a global recession occurs, representing over 10% decline from current levels.
- •The bull case projects Bitcoin reaching $189,000 with increased end-investor demand, more than doubling from current prices.
- •Regulatory catalysts like the Clarity Act could drive further adoption and fund flows into digital assets.

What to know:
- Citigroup's base case for bitcoin (BTC) is a rise to $143,000 in 12 months.
- Analysts highlight $70,000 as key support, with the potential for a sharp rise due to revived ETF demand and positive market forecasts.
- The bear case sees bitcoin falling to $78,500 amid a global recession, while the bull case predicts a rise to $189,000 due to increased investor demand.
- Citigroup's base case for bitcoin (BTC) is a rise to $143,000 in 12 months.
- Analysts highlight $70,000 as key support, with the potential for a sharp rise due to revived ETF demand and positive market forecasts.
- The bear case sees bitcoin falling to $78,500 amid a global recession, while the bull case predicts a rise to $189,000 due to increased investor demand.
Amid the recent bearish price action, the headline on Citigroup's 12-month outlook for bitcoin BTC$88,223.33 of $143,000 — or about 62% upside from the current $88,000 — will raise some eyebrows.
“We forecast increased adoption of digital assets, spurred by potential U.S. digital-asset legislation in the second quarter, with bitcoin likely ranging into the new year around $80,000-$90,000 user-activity values,” Citi analysts Alex Saunders, Dirk Willer and Vinh Vo said in their joint report.
They said to keep an eye on the $70,000 level as key support, noting that was roughly bitcoin's price just ahead of Donald Trump's 2024 election victory.
Their base case 12 months out is for a sharp rise to $143,000, driven, they said, by revived ETF demand and positive stock market forecasts. Regulatory catalysts — in particular passage and signing of the Clarity Act (already passed in the House) — should drive further adoption and fund flows, they added.
But there's also a bear case, and the group pegs that target at a lowly $78,500, or down more than 10% from current levels. They believe a global recession would be the catalyst.
The bull case would be $189,000, or more than doubling from current levels, and that would be thanks to increased end-investor demand, they said.
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