Ethereum 2026 "5x Opportunity Window": Institutional Giants Intensively Deploy, ETH Value Reassessment Imminent

Written by: Vivek Raman, Etherealize

Edited by: Saoirse, Foresight News

Over the past decade, Ethereum has established its position as the most secure and reliable blockchain platform adopted by global institutions.

Ethereum technology has achieved scalable applications, with institutional use cases now established. The global regulatory environment is openly welcoming blockchain infrastructure, and the development of stablecoins and asset tokenization is bringing about fundamental changes.

Therefore, starting from 2026, Ethereum will become the best platform for conducting business.

After ten years of promotion, stable operation, global adoption, and high availability guarantees, Ethereum has become the preferred choice for institutions deploying blockchain. Next, let’s review how Ethereum has gradually become the default platform for tokenized assets over the past two years.

Finally, we will provide a forecast for Ethereum in 2026: tokenization scale, stablecoin scale, and ETH price are all expected to increase fivefold. The stage for Ethereum’s revival has been set, and the time for various enterprises to adopt Ethereum infrastructure is now ripe.

Ethereum: The Core Platform for Tokenized Assets

The revolution of blockchain in the asset sector is akin to the internet’s reshaping of information — enabling assets to be digitized, programmable, and interoperable globally.

Asset tokenization integrates assets, data, and payments into a unified infrastructure, fully upgrading business processes. Stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets and funds will be able to circulate at internet speed. This is a major upgrade that the financial system should have achieved long ago, and now, global public blockchains like Ethereum are finally making this vision a reality.

Asset tokenization is rapidly shifting from a hot concept to a fundamental upgrade of business models. Just as no company would abandon the internet for fax machines, once financial institutions experience the efficiency, automation, and high speed brought by shared global blockchain infrastructure, they will not revert to traditional models. The tokenization process will become irreversible.

Currently, the majority of high-value assets are tokenized on the Ethereum platform — because Ethereum is the most neutral and secure global infrastructure. Like the internet, it is not controlled by any single entity and is open to all users.

By 2026, the “experimental phase” of asset tokenization will have officially ended, and the industry will have entered the deployment stage. Major institutions are directly launching flagship products on Ethereum to access global liquidity.

Here are some examples of institutions engaging in asset tokenization on Ethereum:

• JPMorgan directly deploys money market funds on Ethereum, becoming one of the first banks to adopt public blockchain directly;
• Fidelity launches money market funds on Ethereum Layer1 (the first layer network), integrating asset management and operational processes into blockchain systems;
• Apollo launches private credit funds (ACRED) on public blockchains, with the highest liquidity on Ethereum and its Layer2 (second layer network);
• BlackRock, as one of the most active advocates of the “tokenization of everything” concept, leads the institutional asset tokenization wave by launching tokenized money market funds (BUIDL) on Ethereum;
• Amundi (Europe’s largest asset manager) tokenizes its euro-denominated money market funds on Ethereum;
• BNY Mellon (America’s oldest bank) tokenizes a AAA-rated collateralized loan obligation (CLO) fund on Ethereum;
• Baillie Gifford (one of the largest asset managers in the UK) will launch its first tokenized bond fund on Ethereum and its Layer2 network.

Ethereum: The Core Blockchain for Stablecoins

Stablecoins are the first clear example of “product-market fit” in the asset tokenization field — by 2025, the transfer volume of stablecoins has exceeded $10 trillion. Essentially, stablecoins are tokenized dollars, representing a “software upgrade” of currency, enabling dollars to circulate at internet speed with programmable features.

2025 is a critical year for the development of stablecoins and public blockchains: the US “GENIUS Act” (also known as the “Stablecoin Act”) was officially passed. This act established a regulatory framework for stablecoins and signaled a “green light” for the underlying public blockchain infrastructure of stablecoins.

Even before the passage of the “GENIUS Act,” Ethereum’s stablecoin adoption rate was already leading. Today, 60% of stablecoins are deployed on Ethereum and its Layer2 networks (if future Ethereum Virtual Machine compatible chains that could become Ethereum Layer2 are included, this proportion will reach 90%). The enactment of the “GENIUS Act” marks Ethereum’s official “opening for commercial applications” — institutions can now obtain regulatory approval to deploy their own stablecoins on public blockchains.

The reason email and websites achieved large-scale adoption was because they connected to a unified global internet (rather than isolated internal networks). Similarly, stablecoins and all tokenized assets can only fully realize their utility and network effects within a unified global public blockchain ecosystem.

Therefore, the explosive growth of stablecoins is just beginning. A typical example is SoFi, a US national bank, becoming the first bank to issue a stablecoin (SoFiUSD) on a permissionless public blockchain, ultimately choosing Ethereum.

This is just the “tip of the iceberg” in stablecoin development. Investment banks and new banking entities are exploring issuing their own stablecoins either independently or through alliances. Fintech companies are also advancing stablecoin deployment and integration. The digitalization of the US dollar on public blockchains has already begun, and Ethereum is the default platform for this process.

Ethereum: Building Dedicated Blockchains

Blockchain is not a “one-size-fits-all” tool. The global financial market needs to be customized according to regional, regulatory, and client differences. For this reason, from its inception, Ethereum has been designed with high security as a core goal, and through deployable “Layer2 blockchains,” it has achieved high levels of customization.

Just as each enterprise has its own dedicated website, applications, and customized environment on the internet, many enterprises will also have their own dedicated Layer2 blockchains within the Ethereum ecosystem in the future.

This is not just a theoretical architecture but a practical application already in place. Ethereum Layer2 has established institutional use cases, enabling scalable deployment and becoming a core support for Ethereum’s “business-friendly” features. Some examples include:

• Coinbase built the Base blockchain on Ethereum Layer2, leveraging Ethereum’s security and liquidity while creating new revenue streams;
• Robinhood is developing its own dedicated blockchain, integrating tokenized stocks, prediction markets, and various assets, built on Ethereum Layer2 technology;
• SWIFT (the global bank messaging network) uses Ethereum Layer2 network Linea for blockchain-based settlement services;
• JPMorgan deployed tokenized deposit services on Ethereum Layer2 network Base;
• Deutsche Bank is building a public permissioned blockchain network based on Ethereum Layer2, laying the foundation for more banks to build Layer2 networks…

The value of Layer2 is not only in customization but also as the best business model in blockchain. Layer2 combines Ethereum’s global security with operational efficiencies that can achieve profit margins of over 90%, opening new revenue streams for enterprises.

For institutions adopting blockchain technology, this is the best way to “have your cake and eat it too” — relying on Ethereum’s security and liquidity while maintaining their own profit margins and operating dedicated environments within the Ethereum ecosystem. Robinhood’s choice to build its own blockchain based on Ethereum Layer2 reflects this reasoning: “Creating a truly decentralized and secure chain is extremely difficult… but with Ethereum, we can default to security.”

The global financial market will not be concentrated on a single blockchain, but the interconnected network of Ethereum and its Layer2 ecosystem can enable collaboration across the entire financial system.

Regulatory Environment Transformation

Without regulatory support, the fundamental upgrade of the global financial system cannot be realized. Financial institutions are not tech companies and cannot innovate through “rapid trial and error.” The flow of high-value assets and funds requires a comprehensive regulatory framework, and the US is leading in this area:

Under the leadership of SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, since Ethereum’s inception in 2015, the first regulatory framework supporting innovation has been established. Institutions are actively embracing asset tokenization, and the financial system is preparing for migration to digital infrastructure. Atkins himself has stated that “within the next two years, all markets in the US will be operational on-chain.”

The US Congress also supports responsible adoption of blockchain technology. The “GENIUS Act” (mentioned earlier in the “Stablecoins” section) passed in 2025, along with the upcoming “CLARITY Act,” which will establish a comprehensive framework for asset tokenization and public blockchain infrastructure, providing clear guidance for financial institutions.

While the DTCC (Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation), a private entity, is not a government agency, it is the core infrastructure operator of the US securities market. The DTCC has fully embraced asset tokenization, allowing assets held in its custody to circulate on public blockchains.

Over the past decade, the blockchain ecosystem has long been in a “regulatory gray area,” suppressing its institutional application potential. Now, led by the US, the regulatory environment has shifted from “resistance” to “support.” Ethereum has become the “best business platform,” and a thriving stage for growth has been fully built.

ETH: Institutional-Grade Treasury Assets

Ethereum has established itself as the “safest blockchain,” making it the default choice for institutions. Based on this, in 2026, ETH will be revalued and will stand alongside BTC as an “institutional-grade store of value.”

The blockchain ecosystem will have more than one store of value: BTC has established its position as “digital gold,” while ETH is becoming “digital oil” — a value store with yield, utility, and driven by its underlying ecosystem’s economic activity.

MicroStrategy, as the company holding the most Bitcoin, has led the process of BTC becoming a store of value. Over the past four years, MicroStrategy has continuously added BTC to its treasury, advocating for BTC’s value proposition, making it a core holding in institutional digital asset portfolios.

Today, four “MicroStrategy-like” companies have emerged within the Ethereum ecosystem, pushing ETH toward similar breakthroughs:

• BitMine Immersion (Stock code: BMNR), operated by Tom Lee;
• Sharplink Gaming (Stock code: SBET), operated by Joe Lubin and Joseph Chalom;
• The Ether Machine (Stock code: ETHM), operated by Andrew Keys;
• Bit Digital (Stock code: BTBT), operated by Sam Tabar.

MicroStrategy holds 3.2% of the circulating supply of BTC. The four companies above have collectively purchased about 4.5% of ETH’s circulating supply over the past six months — and this process has only just begun.

As these companies continue to include ETH in their balance sheets, the proportion of ownership in these ETH holdings is rapidly increasing. ETH is expected to be revalued and will stand alongside BTC as an institutional-grade store of value.

Ethereum 2026 Forecast: 5x Growth

Tokenized Assets: 5x to $100 billion

In 2025, the total value of tokenized assets on the blockchain increased from approximately $6 billion to over $18 billion, with 66% deployed on Ethereum and its Layer2 networks.

The global financial system has just begun the asset tokenization process, with institutions like JPMorgan, BlackRock, and Fidelity already using Ethereum as the default platform for high-value tokenized assets.

We forecast that by 2026, the total size of tokenized assets will increase fivefold, reaching nearly $1 trillion, with most assets deployed on the Ethereum network.

Stablecoins: 5x to $1.5 trillion

Currently, the total market cap of stablecoins on public blockchains is $308 billion, with about 60% deployed on Ethereum and its Layer2 networks (if future Ethereum Virtual Machine compatible chains that could become Ethereum Layer2 are included, this proportion will reach 90%).

Stablecoins have become a strategic asset for the US government. The US Treasury has repeatedly stated that stablecoins are a key measure to solidify the dollar’s dominance in the 21st century. The total US dollar circulation is $22.3 trillion. With the implementation of the “GENIUS Act” and the large-scale adoption of stablecoins, it is expected that 20%-30% of US dollars will migrate onto public blockchains.

We forecast that by 2026, the total market cap of stablecoins will increase fivefold, reaching $1.5 trillion, with Ethereum playing a leading role in this process.

ETH: 5x to $15,000

ETH is rapidly developing into an institutional-grade store of value alongside BTC. ETH is a “bullish option” for blockchain technology growth, with its value increasing driven by the following trends:

• Expansion of asset tokenization
• Adoption of stablecoins
• Institutional adoption of blockchain
• The “ChatGPT moment” in the financial system’s upgrade to the internet era (referring to industry-transforming breakthroughs brought by technological advances)

Holding ETH is akin to owning a stake in the “new financial internet.” Its value growth logic is clear: increasing user base, asset volume, applications, Layer2 networks, and transaction frequency will all drive ETH’s value upward.

We forecast that by 2026, ETH will achieve at least 5x value growth (market cap reaching $2 trillion, comparable to current BTC market cap), ushering in the “Nvidia moment” for ETH — a critical phase of explosive growth similar to Nvidia’s AI-driven surge.

Ethereum: The Best Platform for Business

By 2026, the discussion of “why adopt blockchain” will be a thing of the past. Now, institutions are fully competing in asset tokenization, stablecoin applications, and customized blockchain deployments. The structural upgrade of the global financial system has already begun.

When choosing blockchain infrastructure, institutions prioritize factors such as: long-term operational history, application precedents, security, liquidity, usability, and risk levels — and Ethereum performs best across all dimensions. If a company has the following needs, Ethereum will be the ideal choice:

• Increase profit margins? Reduce costs through asset tokenization, lower fees with stablecoins, or build dedicated blockchains on Ethereum.
• Develop new revenue streams? Create structured products, launch new assets, or issue proprietary stablecoins on Ethereum.
• Digitize business operations? Optimize processes, automate accounting and payments, and reduce manual reconciliation using Ethereum.

2025 will be a turning point for Ethereum: infrastructure upgrades will be completed, institutional pilot projects will scale, and regulatory environments will turn favorable.

By 2026, the global financial system will experience an “internet moment” — and this transformation will occur on Ethereum, the best platform for conducting business.