Tom Lee Forecasts Ethereum at $9K by January 2026 Amid Tokenization Boom

TL;DR

• Fundstrat founder and Bitmine chairman Tom Lee expects Ethereum to reach $7,000–$9,000 in January 2026, despite a recent drop of nearly 30%.
• His outlook centers on global tokenization growth and the expansion of ETH-based financial infrastructure enabling staking, faster settlements and on-chain asset issuance.
• Bitmine plans to increase its Ethereum holdings from 3% to 5%, reinforcing a long-term strategy focused on building institutional-grade networks powered by ETH.
  

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Ethereum trades below $3,000 after several weeks of market adjustments, yet Lee argues that the pullback stems from temporary liquidity pressure and automated selling. He believes these short-term effects do not change the medium-term structure, since stablecoins and tokenized assets drive demand as Ethereum serves as a settlement layer for digital finance.

Ethereum And The Tokenization Growth Cycle

Lee describes the current cycle as an expansion driven by real financial activity rather than speculation. Stablecoin usage is turning Ethereum into a global payment and financial record system. Major issuers already operate with market values above $100,000 million, transforming blockchains into channels for cross-border transactions, remittances and institutional flows.

He points to recent developments in U.S. banks that are testing tokenized deposits on Ethereum-compatible networks to reduce settlement delays and operational costs. Global custodians and asset managers are also experimenting with blockchain-based fund distribution, accelerating the shift toward programmable assets. This transition encourages the creation of compliant frameworks allowing institutions to directly interact with ETH-based settlement layers.

He adds that the tokenization of equities, corporate debt and short-term instruments is likely to accelerate as platforms offering faster settlement and continuous trading gain adoption. This shift, he argues, creates structural demand for ETH that does not rely solely on retail participation.

Expanding Infrastructure Around Ethereum

Bitmine, the firm led by Lee, currently holds roughly 3% of Ethereum’s circulating supply and is working to increase that stake to 5%. The strategy focuses on building validator networks, expanding staking services and bridging collaboration between developers and traditional financial institutions experimenting with on-chain products. Bitmine’s initiatives involve partnerships with regulated staking providers and infrastructure companies that target reliable uptime and compliance standards.

Bitmine is also involved in privacy-focused digital identity initiatives that use cryptographic methods to secure user data, an approach aligned with regulated tokenized finance. These systems aim to validate users without storing personal information, a feature that could support markets requiring verifiable identity for asset ownership while maintaining confidentiality.Tom Lee views tokenization as a driver already generating long-term demand for ETH, while financial infrastructure gradually migrates to blockchain.