📈 Standard Chartered projects Aave could reach $3,500 by 2030 Standard Chartered has initiated coverage on Aave with a price target of $3,500 for AAVE by the end of 2030. This projection implies a potential upside of approximately 50 times from the current price of around $76.6. Geoff Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research at the bank, described Aave as a “blockchain-based automated bank” that operates without employees or discretionary decisions, highlighting its fully programmable nature within the DeFi ecosystem. Report Details Standard Chartered estimates that the value of actively used real-world assets (RWAs) tokenized in DeFi applications could grow 37-fold by the end of the decade, becoming the primary driver of deposit and lending growth on Aave. The report also outlines other potential catalysts: * Potential relaunch of Aave’s token buyback program * Development of Aave Horizon, a permissioned lending initiative designed to enable credit against tokenized real-world assets and attract traditional financial institutions Recent Context and Recovery The bank acknowledges that the protocol was impacted by the April 2026 incident, when the collapse of KelpDAO’s rsETH bridge led to potential losses of up to $230 million and triggered a withdrawal of deposits. However, Standard Chartered believes Aave has recovered, with funds beginning to gradually return to the platform. At its peak in October 2025, Aave reached approximately $75 billion in deposits—a figure that would have placed it among the top 30 largest banks in the United States by that metric. Important Disclaimer: This information is based on Standard Chartered’s report and does not constitute investment advice. Always conduct your own research before making financial decisions.