Tom Lee Predicts Ethereum to Reach $15K as Institutions Favor Blockchain

Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat, predicts Ethereum's ether (ETH) could reach $15,000 as institutions recognize its potential, with Ethereum emerging as the favored blockchain for Wall Street. Lee believes the stablecoin market has created a "ChatGPT moment" for crypto, with Ethereum boasting over 50% market share of the $250 billion stablecoin supply and being a key hub for asset tokenization. Fundstrat analysts put ETH's near-term target at $4,000 and its fair value at $10,000-$15,000 by the end of the year.

Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat, has predicted that Ethereum's ether (ETH) could reach $15,000 as institutions increasingly recognize its potential. Lee believes that the stablecoin market has created a "ChatGPT moment" for crypto, with Ethereum boasting over 50% market share of the $250 billion stablecoin supply and being a key hub for asset tokenization [1]. Fundstrat analysts put ETH's near-term target at $4,000 and its fair value at $10,000-$15,000 by the end of the year [2].

Lee, who is also the chairman of Ethereum treasury firm Bitmine, sees Ethereum as the favored blockchain for Wall Street. He argues that the blockchain's compliance with U.S. regulations and its large real-world asset (RWA) ecosystem make it an attractive choice for institutions [3]. The firm has already made a substantial bet on this thesis, with over 300,000 ETH in exposure, worth well over $1 billion at current prices [2].

Fundstrat's valuation model aligns Ethereum with Circle, using a 130x EBITDA multiple tied to tokenization and Layer-1 growth. This analysis places Ether's fair value closer to $15,000, considering its growing Layer-1 ecosystem and expanding RWA activity [3]. Meanwhile, technical strategist Mark Newton projected a short-term price target of $4,000 by July's end, labeling it a stepping stone rather than the peak.

Lee's prediction reflects a broader shift in institutional investment towards technology infrastructure. His strategy offers a template for investors: identify the infrastructure plays that will benefit from massive capital expenditure trends, whether that’s Nvidia for AI computation or Ethereum for financial tokenization. However, investors should be aware of the premiums paid for exposure to these themes through public markets.

References:
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tom-lees-250m-ethereum-bet-123117531.html
[2] https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/07/21/tom-lee-sees-ether-hitting-15k-with-ethereum-emerging-as-wall-streets-favored-blockchain
[3] https://cryptofrontnews.com/ethereum-may-hit-15k-in-2025-says-fundstrats-cio-backed-by-whale-buys-and-wall-street-interest/