TLDR
- BNB is predicted to rise from $600 to $2,775 by end-2028, according to Standard Chartered
- The token trades similarly to an unweighted basket of Bitcoin and Ethereum
- Standard Chartered views BNB as a potential benchmark for digital asset prices
- VanEck has applied to launch the first BNB ETF in the US
- Despite low developer numbers, BNB’s stability is seen as a strength
BNB, the native token of the BNB Chain and fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, could be on track for a massive price surge according to a new report from Standard Chartered Bank.
The financial institution predicts the token could rise 360% from its current price of approximately $600 to reach $2,775 by the end of 2028.
Geoffrey Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Digital Assets Research, noted in a Tuesday report that BNB has “traded almost exactly in line with an unweighted basket of Bitcoin and Ethereum since May 2021” in terms of both returns and volatility.
This relationship is expected to continue, driving BNB’s substantial price growth over the next few years. The bank forecasts BNB to reach $1,275 by 2025 before climbing to the $2,775 mark by 2028, after which the price is expected to plateau through 2029.
BNB currently has a market cap of approximately $87 billion, making it the fifth-largest digital asset. The token was created in 2017 by Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.
Token Utility and Market Position
Originally launched on the Ethereum network, BNB later became the native coin of its own blockchain, the BNB Chain. This network was designed to allow developers to build decentralized applications.
Despite having fewer developers using its network compared to competitors, Kendrick suggests this gives BNB a level of stability that could be beneficial.
“Because of its low developer numbers, BNB’s use cases have remained static relative to peer chains,” he noted.
The token’s value is closely tied to Binance’s trading platform, where holders receive tiered fee discounts based on their token balance and 30-day trading volume. This mechanical use case has helped maintain activity on the BNB Chain even as competition from other ecosystems like Solana increases.
According to Kendrick,
“Assuming Binance remains one of the largest centralized exchanges, BNB’s value drivers are unlikely to change anytime soon.” This stability could position BNB as “a form of benchmark, or average, for digital asset prices more broadly.”
Technical Developments
The BNB Chain operates on a “proof-of-staked authority” model with just 45 validators rotating every 24 hours, making it “highly centralized relative to other chains” according to the Standard Chartered report.
Recent technical upgrades are expected to expand the ecosystem’s resilience. The recently completed Pascal hard fork and the upcoming Maxwell upgrade, scheduled for June, are described as “incremental but meaningful” incentives for developers.
Additionally, regular token burns, combined with BNB’s fixed-limit supply, create structural deflation that Standard Chartered says justifies the premium BNB commands on its market-cap-to-GDP valuation.
Potential ETF Development
In a related development, investment firm VanEck has applied for approval to launch an exchange-traded fund tracking the spot price of BNB, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.
This would be the first BNB ETF in the United States, offering investors exposure to the token without requiring them to hold the asset directly.
Broader Crypto Outlook
Standard Chartered’s outlook for the major cryptocurrencies is overwhelmingly positive. The bank projects Bitcoin to reach $200,000 in 2025 and $500,000 by 2028, while Ethereum is forecast to hit $4,000 and $7,500 over the same periods.
When translated into cross-asset ratios, these forecasts suggest Bitcoin’s dollar appreciation will likely outpace BNB’s, with the BTC-BNB ratio expected to increase from 157 in 2025 to 180 by 2027.
The ETH-BNB ratio, however, is predicted to decrease from 3.14 in 2025 to 2.70 in 2027, indicating that while Ethereum may outperform BNB, it will do so less dramatically than Bitcoin.
VanEck’s BNB ETF application marks the first time an investment firm has signaled plans to launch such a product in the U.S. market, potentially opening new avenues for institutional investment in the token.
The price prediction comes as Standard Chartered recently forecast that Bitcoin will continue its upward trajectory, potentially reaching $200,000 by the end of this year as investors increasingly reallocate funds from U.S. assets to the cryptocurrency space.
