In the ever-evolving landscape of global finance, two prominent figures have recently shared their insights on the role of Bitcoin and gold in investment portfolios. Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, and Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, have both weighed in on the potential of these assets amid economic uncertainty.
Dalio’s warnings about a potential US debt crisis have sparked discussions about portfolio diversification, while Standard Chartered’s revised Bitcoin price forecast has caught the attention of crypto enthusiasts. Meanwhile, the crypto community is keeping a close eye on the developments surrounding the MANTRA Chain incident.
Ray Dalio’s Advice on Gold and Bitcoin Allocation
Ray Dalio has long been an advocate for gold as a hedge against economic instability. In a recent statement, he urged investors to consider allocating 10% to 15% of their portfolios to gold to mitigate risk. However, he also acknowledged the potential of Bitcoin as a complementary asset.
Dalio’s shift towards accepting Bitcoin as a portfolio hedge is notable, given his historical caution about the cryptocurrency. He has previously argued that Bitcoin cannot replace gold as a store of value, citing concerns about privacy and quantum computing. Nevertheless, in 2026, he described a 1% to 2% Bitcoin allocation as “reasonable.”
The billionaire investor’s latest comments come amid mounting political and geopolitical tensions. Dalio estimates that a US debt crisis could emerge within roughly three years unless the country changes course. His advice to overweight gold and Bitcoin relative to debt assets underscores the growing interest in alternative investments during times of economic uncertainty.
Standard Chartered Revises Bitcoin Price Forecast
Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick has revised the bank’s year-end Bitcoin price forecast, suggesting that the previous target may have been too conservative. In a note shared with Cointelegraph, Kendrick indicated that Bitcoin could move toward its all-time high of $126,000 before the end of the year.
The latest rally has been driven by short liquidations and inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. Kendrick noted that low open interest could leave room for more investors to return as prices rise. “For the first time this year, there is now a risk my end year forecast (of USD100k) is too low,” Kendrick wrote.
In February, Kendrick had cut Standard Chartered’s year-end Bitcoin target to $100,000 from $150,000 and its Ether target to $4,000 from $7,500. At the time, he expected Bitcoin to fall to around $50,000 and Ether to $1,400 before recovering during the rest of the year. The revised forecast reflects the dynamic nature of the crypto market and the potential for significant price movements.
The MANTRA Chain Incident and Its Impact
The crypto community was recently shaken by an unexplained incident affecting the MANTRA Chain. The project’s team announced a precautionary halt of the network, prompting a significant drop in the value of MANTRA’s native token.
According to CoinGecko, the token fell from $0.005060 to an all-time low of $0.004126 around 11:00 pm UTC on Thursday. It later recovered to about $0.0044 but remained down roughly 10% over 24 hours. Trading volume climbed nearly 600% to $24 million.
MANTRA stated that it was “aware of an incident affecting MANTRA Chain” and had halted the network as a precaution while it investigated. “We don’t have a root cause or timeline to share yet,” the project said, adding that all endpoints and transactions were frozen. The halt prevents assets from moving on MANTRA Chain and has prompted affected exchanges to pause deposits and withdrawals, with no timeline given for either service to resume.
As the crypto market continues to evolve, the insights from prominent figures like Ray Dalio and Standard Chartered, along with developments like the MANTRA Chain incident, highlight the importance of staying informed and adaptable in the world of digital assets.
