Standard Chartered initiated coverage of Aave with a $3,500 price target for its AAVE token by the end of 2030, according to a note published Wednesday by Geoff Kendrick, the bank's head of digital assets research. The target represents roughly 50 times the token's current price near $70. Kendrick tied the forecast to a projected 37-fold rise in tokenised assets actively used in decentralised finance applications, estimating that figure would reach $2.7 trillion by 2030. The bank framed the projection as a multi-year climb rather than a sudden move, with intermediate targets of approximately $180 by the end of this year, followed by $600, $1,200, and $2,200 over the subsequent three years.
Standard Chartered Projects Stepwise AAVE Price Climb Through 2030
Kendrick's Wednesday note outlined a phased timeline for AAVE appreciation. He projected the token would reach about $180 by the end of this year, then climb to $600, $1,200, and $2,200 over the following three years before hitting the $3,500 target by the end of 2030. The bank presented the trajectory as a gradual ascent rather than a single leap.
Tokenised Asset Growth and Institutional Lending Drive Forecast
The bank tied the AAVE target to a projected recovery in decentralised lending and the growth of real-world assets brought on-chain. Kendrick estimated that the value of tokenised assets actively used in DeFi applications would grow 37-fold to $2.7 trillion by 2030. Standard Chartered likened Aave to an automated on-chain bank, noting that it earns fees primarily through the spread between what it pays depositors and charges borrowers. Aave drew about $75 billion in deposits at its October 2025 peak. The bank flagged a potential relaunch of Aave's token buyback program as a further catalyst. The Horizon initiative, designed to let institutions lend against tokenised real-world assets in a permissioned setting, sits at the centre of the thesis. Kendrick cautioned that Aave's institutional push is "not yet proven."
Aave Recovers from Exploit as Bank Sets Comparative Crypto Targets
Kendrick said the protocol has largely recovered from a major exploit that hit the Aave ecosystem earlier this year, with deposits gradually returning. The note placed the AAVE call alongside the bank's long-run targets for the largest digital assets, including $500,000 for bitcoin and $40,000 for ether.
FAQ
What price target did Standard Chartered set for AAVE by 2030?
Standard Chartered set a $3,500 price target for AAVE by the end of 2030 in a note published Wednesday by analyst Geoff Kendrick. The target represents roughly 50 times the token's current price near $70.
Why did Standard Chartered project AAVE would reach $3,500?
Kendrick tied the forecast to a projected 37-fold rise in tokenised assets actively used in DeFi applications, estimating that figure would reach $2.7 trillion by 2030. The bank also cited Aave's role as an automated on-chain bank earning fees from the spread between depositor payments and borrower charges, along with the Horizon initiative for institutional lending against tokenised real-world assets.
What intermediate AAVE price targets did Geoff Kendrick project?
Kendrick projected AAVE would reach approximately $180 by the end of this year, then climb to $600, $1,200, and $2,200 over the following three years before hitting the $3,500 target by the end of 2030.
