Ethereum Could Reach $100,000 and Surpass Bitcoin: Joseph Lubin

Ethereum could grow 100x and surpass Bitcoin in value, according to ConsenSys founder Joseph Lubin. He believes Wall Street will adopt staking and build on Ethereum's network, replacing older systems with decentralized operations. Lubin predicts a major shift in global finance with traditional firms using Ethereum's network for future operations, despite the current price support and ETF outflows.

Joseph Lubin, the founder of ConsenSys, has predicted that Ethereum (ETH-USD) could grow 100x in value and surpass Bitcoin in the coming years. Lubin believes that Wall Street will adopt staking and build on Ethereum's network, replacing older systems with decentralized operations. This vision is backed by several key factors, including institutional inflows, network growth, and regulatory clarity.

As of July 2025, Ethereum is trading around $4,460, up 2.6% on the day, and has a market cap of approximately $536 billion [1]. The current price outlook is optimistic, with near-term targets between $4,800 and $5,100, and long-term expectations stretching as high as $12,000 by 2030 [1]. This growth is driven by institutional inflows, particularly from ETFs, which have attracted $968 million in net inflows in a single week [1]. BlackRock's iShares Ethereum Trust ETF, for instance, has drawn significant interest, highlighting the growing demand for Ethereum as digital infrastructure [1].

Network activity has also surged to multi-year highs. Ethereum's 14-day SMA of total transactions surpassed 1.7 million in August, the highest on record, and active addresses reached a three-year high [1]. These developments are supported by technological upgrades like the Dencun and Pectra hard forks, which have reduced gas fees and enhanced scalability, sustaining adoption without cost blowouts [1].

Lubin's prediction is also supported by Ethereum's institutional adoption. By Q3 2025, Ethereum ETFs had attracted $27.6 billion in inflows, with daily peaks exceeding $727 million in August alone [2]. This surge is underpinned by Ethereum's deflationary supply model, regulatory clarity, and technological upgrades [2]. Institutional investors have further entrenched Ethereum's position by allocating 539,757 ETH ($1.35 billion) to ETFs [2].

However, Ethereum faces competition from projects like Avalanche, which has positioned itself as a high-growth alternative. Avalanche's transaction activity surged 66% in a single week, with 11.9 million transactions and 181,300 active addresses [2]. Technological upgrades like the Octane and Etna hard forks have slashed transaction fees, making Avalanche a cost-effective platform for enterprises [2]. Avalanche's pending ETF approval could unlock billions in institutional capital, mirroring Ethereum's ETF success [2].

Despite this competition, Ethereum's 30% staking yield and tokenized real-world asset infrastructure make it a core holding, while Avalanche's 66% transaction growth and ETF speculation offer high-risk, high-reward exposure [2]. The 2025 Layer 1 race is defined by a duality: Ethereum's institutional-grade stability versus Avalanche's speculative growth [2].

Lubin's prediction of Ethereum growing 100x and surpassing Bitcoin is ambitious but not without merit. Ethereum's strong structural backdrops, including staking, Layer 2 adoption, and institutional flows, provide a solid foundation for growth. Near-term targets remain $4,865 and $5,100, with medium-term forecasts clustered around $7,000–$8,000 and long-term projections toward $10,000–$12,000 by 2030 [1]. At current levels near $4,460, ETH-USD is a Buy, with risk managed at $4,000 and upside potential anchored by ETF-driven supply constraints and unprecedented institutional adoption [1].

References:
[1] https://www.tradingnews.com/news/ethereum-price-forecast-eth-usd-eyes-5100-usd-breakput-on-institutional-inflows
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/ethereum-avalanche-etf-driven-capital-reallocation-2025-layer-1-leadership-shift-2508/