Standard Chartered Cuts Bitcoin Price Forecast by One Third
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 17 2026
0mins
Should l Buy BTBT?
Source: seekingalpha
- Bitcoin Price Forecast Cut: Standard Chartered has reduced its 2026 Bitcoin price forecast to $100,000, a one-third decrease from previous estimates, primarily due to worsening macroeconomic conditions and the risk of further investor capitulation.
- Market Volatility: Analysts highlight that recent market volatility has intensified, leading to depressed investor sentiment which may pressure Bitcoin prices in the short term, thereby affecting the overall stability of the cryptocurrency market.
- Shorted Stocks Overview: Among crypto stocks with market capitalizations under $2 billion, Bit Digital (BTBT) leads with a short interest of 19.05%, indicating a pessimistic outlook on its future performance, which could impact its financing capabilities and market confidence.
- Low Short Interest Stocks: Conversely, stocks like Bgin Blockchain (BGIN) and Grayscale Bitcoin Cash Trust (BCHG) exhibit very low short interest rates of 0.02% and 0.09%, respectively, suggesting stronger market confidence in these companies, potentially attracting more investor interest.
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Analyst Views on BTBT
Wall Street analysts forecast BTBT stock price to rise
5 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 1.510
Low
4.00
Averages
5.63
High
7.00
Current: 1.510
Low
4.00
Averages
5.63
High
7.00
About BTBT
Bit Digital, Inc. is a global platform for high performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and digital asset production company. The Company is a provider of HPC data centers and cloud-based HPC graphics processing units (GPU) services, which term cloud services, for customers such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) developers. The Company designs, develops, and operates HPC data centers, through which it offers hosting and colocation services. The Company has four reportable segments: Digital asset mining, Cloud services, Colocation services, and ETH Staking. The Digital asset mining segment is engaged in bitcoin and mining activities. The Cloud services segment provides HPC services to support generative AI workstreams. The Colocation services segment provide customers with physical space, power and cooling within the data center facility. The ETH staking segment is engaged in both native staking and liquid staking.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Ethereum Holdings: Bit Digital reported holding approximately 155,444 Ethereum valued at $327 million, with an average acquisition price of $3,045, indicating the company's proactive stance in the cryptocurrency market.
- Staking and Liquidity Management: About 62% of the company's Ethereum (96,322 ETH) remains staked, although it reduced its staked position in March to gain greater flexibility in managing its Ethereum treasury, thereby allowing exploration of other yield opportunities.
- Earnings Generation Capability: The staking operations generated nearly 291.3 ETH in rewards over the past year, yielding about 2.9% annually, demonstrating the company's ability to maintain a stable income stream while optimizing its Ethereum assets.
- Shareholder Structure and Market Reaction: Bit Digital also holds a majority stake in WhiteFiber valued at over $322 million, and despite its stock dropping over 4% in morning trading, retail sentiment on Stocktwits remains in the 'bullish' zone, reflecting market confidence in its future.
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- Revenue Growth and Challenges: Bit Digital reported fourth-quarter revenue of $32.3 million for 2025, up from $25.8 million year-over-year, but the full-year revenue of $113.6 million only increased by 5%, indicating overall growth struggles amid a significant decline in digital asset mining revenue.
- Decline in Digital Asset Mining Revenue: The company's digital asset mining revenue fell to $27.3 million in 2025, a 53% decrease compared to the previous year, reflecting the strategic shift away from Bitcoin mining that has adversely impacted profitability.
- Surge in Ethereum Staking Revenue: Ethereum staking revenue skyrocketed from $1.8 million in 2024 to $7 million in 2025, marking a nearly 300% increase, which suggests that the company's investments in Ethereum infrastructure are beginning to yield positive results and may drive long-term growth.
- Financial Stability and Investment Flexibility: At year-end, cash and cash equivalents reached $118.4 million, up from $95.2 million in 2024, enhancing the company's financial stability for future investments and providing capital for potential M&A opportunities.
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- Disappointing Earnings: Bit Digital's FY GAAP EPS of -$0.31 missed expectations by $0.32, indicating challenges in profitability that could undermine investor confidence and affect stock performance.
- Slight Revenue Growth: Despite the earnings miss, Bit Digital reported revenue of $113.6 million, a 5.2% year-over-year increase, demonstrating some resilience in the market, yet the company must enhance growth drivers to attract further investment.
- AI Infrastructure Pivot: The company is pivoting towards AI infrastructure, which is seen as a potential growth area; however, the effectiveness of this execution will be crucial for future success, necessitating close monitoring by investors.
- DeFi Sector Pressure: The DeFi development sector is experiencing the highest short interest among crypto firms, with up to $2 billion in market cap, prompting Bit Digital to devise effective strategies to navigate market volatility in this challenging environment.
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- Financial Performance Overview: Bit Digital achieved approximately 1,988.8 ETH in native staking rewards for FY 2025, a significant increase from 565.1 ETH in 2024, reflecting the company's ongoing growth in Ethereum staking participation and yield generation, which is expected to enhance future financial stability.
- Strategic Transition Progress: The company initiated an Ethereum-focused treasury strategy in June 2025, concentrating capital and operations on Ethereum economic infrastructure while maintaining exposure to AI infrastructure through its majority stake in WhiteFiber, aiming to adapt to long-term changes in digital assets and compute infrastructure.
- Bitcoin Mining Contraction: Bit Digital gradually reduced its Bitcoin mining operations in 2025, with an active hash rate of approximately 1.5 EH/s as of December 31, indicating a shift towards its Ethereum strategy, and it is expected to continue decreasing capital allocation to this segment in the future.
- Management Outlook: CEO Sam Tabar stated that 2025 was a defining year for the company's repositioning, with Bit Digital focusing on long-term investments in Ethereum and AI compute infrastructure to generate sustainable cash flow amidst market volatility.
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- Earnings Announcement: Bit Digital is set to announce its Q4 earnings on March 31 after market close, with consensus EPS estimate at -$0.02 and revenue estimate at $35.02 million, indicating a cautious market outlook on the company's financial performance.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the past two years, Bit Digital has beaten EPS estimates 50% of the time and revenue estimates 75% of the time, suggesting a relatively stable performance in revenue that may attract investor interest.
- Market Short Pressure: Bit Digital has the highest short interest among crypto firms with a market cap of up to $2 billion, reflecting market concerns about its future performance, which could impact investor confidence and stock price volatility.
- AI Infrastructure Pivot: Bit Digital is undergoing a promising pivot towards AI infrastructure, but execution will be the new test, and its success will directly affect its market competitiveness and future growth potential.
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