Citigroup slashes its value targets for Bitcoin and Ethereum, sparking warning amid gradual crypto regulatory progress within the United States. The Wall Street big claims delays in passing the CLARITY Act would preserve spot ETF inflows and broader institutional adoption on the bay.
Citigroup Lowers Bitcoin and Ethereum Price Targets
Citigroup has revised its forecasts downward for each Bitcoin and Ethereum, Reuters reported on March 17. The financial institution cited regulatory delays, shifting investor flows, and macroeconomic pressures as elements behind a pessimistic outlook.
Wall Street big minimize its 12-month Bitcoin value goal to $112,000 from $143,000. Also, it lowered Ethereum value goal to $3,175 from $4,304. This follows patterns the place Citigroup trimmed targets on crypto shares, regardless of plans to launch Bitcoin services this 12 months.
“Regulatory catalysts will drive further adoption and flows but the window of opportunity for U.S. legislation this year is narrowing,” mentioned Citi strategist Alex Saunders.
Citigroup warned that BTC might even drop to $58,000 and ETH to $1,198 amid macro jitters. However, underneath robust restoration and investor demand, Bitcoin value might rally as excessive as $165,000 and Ethereum to $4,488. Notably, merchants are awaiting the FOMC meeting on Wednesday for cues on market course.
“ETH will be especially sensitive to user activity metrics, which have been weak recently, but stablecoin and tokenization trends may increase interest and usage,” Citi added.
CLARITY Act Faces Delays within the US Senate
While the US SEC and CFTC signed an MoU to collaborate underneath the harmonization initiative, the CLARITY Act is going through delays within the US Senate. Talks proceed between banks and crypto business representatives on stablecoin yields, DeFi, and broader negotiations. Policymakers to assemble on the Digital Chamber’s DC Blockchain Summit in Washington, D.C. this week.
President Trump has publicly criticized banks for stalling the crypto invoice, however progress has stalled amid the Trump admin’s precedence to cross the SAVE America Act earlier than the November 2026 midterm election. Democrats profitable the midterms will additional delay crypto payments, dragging Bitcoin and Ethereum value decrease.
Polymarket knowledge exhibits the odds of the CLARITY Act passing in 2026 dropped to 60% at the moment. It exhibits the prediction market merchants’ blended sentiment on the crypto invoice signed into regulation this 12 months.
