Citi reduces Bitcoin and Ethereum price predictions
March 18, 2026
Citigroup recently adjusted their Bitcoin and Ethereum price forecasts for the year, bringing Bitcoin down from $143,000 to $112,000 and Ethereum from $4304 to $3175. The revision was attributed to several factors, including a slowdown in the regulatory framework development in the US, decreased on-chain activity, and lowered expectations for capital inflows into exchange-traded funds. Citigroup reduced their annual demand forecast for spot Bitcoin ETFs to $10 billion and for Ethereum-based funds to $2.5 billion.
Despite the revised forecast, Citigroup sees inflows into such instruments as a major factor for potential market growth. They also noted alternative scenarios that could impact the prices of Bitcoin and Ethereum. In a bullish scenario, with widespread ETF adoption, Bitcoin could rise to $165,000 and Ethereum to $4488. In a bearish scenario, in the event of a macroeconomic recession, Bitcoin risks falling to $58,000 and Ethereum to $1198.
There is also resistance in the $75,000-$85,000 range for Bitcoin, according to Julio Moreno, the head of research at CryptoQuant. Moreno stated that Bitcoin may face resistance at these levels despite traders’ positive outlook ahead of the Fed meeting. In the perpetual futures market, long positions dominate, indicating investors’ confidence in continued growth. Funding rates have also shifted from negative to positive, showing a willingness to pay extra to hold long positions.
Moreno also mentioned potential risks, such as an influx of Bitcoins to exchanges, which could create selling pressure and slow down price increases. Similarly, there has been a steady inflow of liquidity into the Ethereum derivatives market, indicating the stability of the current uptrend. This was highlighted by a CryptoQuant analyst, Arab Chain, who noted a shift in trader behavior on different platforms.
Arab Chain observed that open interest in Ethereum derivatives market supports the stability of Ethereum’s uptrend rather than indicating a temporary rebound. Traders on various platforms are revising strategies, with some closing positions to reduce risks and others increasing activity on major platforms. This divergence in behavior indicates cautious participation from market participants. Overall, the high level of open interest confirms investors’ confidence in Ethereum and supports its bullish momentum.
On March 17, another specialist under the pseudonym Darkfost noted the return of Bitcoin buyers to major exchanges. Despite the potential for future market fluctuations and risks, the overall outlook for both Bitcoin and Ethereum remains cautiously optimistic based on the analysis of various experts and market indicators.
