Can Ethereum reach new highs in 2026? Experts optimistic about the dual-driven approach of "staking + tokenization"

Ethereum’s current situation is somewhat awkward—on-chain activity is increasing, institutional interest is heating up, but the price of the coin remains stagnant. ETH is currently priced at $3,040, down 5.68% over the past year, which doesn’t quite match its fundamental development. However, industry insiders generally believe this situation could be completely changed by 2026.

Joseph Chalom, Co-CEO of Sharplin Gaming, has made a bold prediction: the total value locked (TVL) in Ethereum could increase tenfold by 2026. This sounds exaggerated, but he provides specific supporting logic.

Stablecoins and RWA: Two Growth Engines

According to Chalom’s analysis, this growth mainly comes from two directions.

The first is the explosion of stablecoins. Currently, the stablecoin market size is about $308 billion, and it is expected to reach $500 billion by the end of next year. This growth is not out of thin air—traditional financial institutions are increasing their deployment, and Ethereum hosts the main activities of the stablecoin ecosystem. More capital inflows naturally mean more on-chain transactions and security demands.

The second is the rise of real-world asset tokenization (RWA). Chalom predicts that by 2026, the tokenized real-world assets could reach a scale of $300 billion. Traditional giants like BlackRock, JPMorgan, and Franklin Templeton are shifting from pilot phases to large-scale deployment. Their choice of Ethereum as the underlying infrastructure further confirms the chain’s position in institutional-level applications.

Security: The “Invisible Hand” Supporting Institutional Confidence

In the crypto world, hash power is often used to measure Bitcoin’s security, but for proof-of-stake chains like Ethereum, “economic security” has become a more critical indicator.

Data speaks volumes: from 2020 to 2025, the staked ETH on Ethereum grew from zero to over 32 million, with a locked economic value exceeding $105 billion. The number of active validator nodes also increased from zero to over 1 million. What do these numbers mean? To attack this chain, the economic cost involved has reached levels that ordinary hackers cannot afford—this is precisely what institutional investors value most.

Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat, believes that when Wall Street begins to take tokenization seriously, Ethereum’s profit potential will be fully unleashed. He is optimistic about Ethereum’s neutral architecture, stable uptime, and mature developer ecosystem—these are essential for enterprise applications. Lee predicts that by early 2026, ETH could reach a price range of $7,000–$9,000, and with accelerated adoption, it could even surge to $20,000.

Crypto analyst Christopher Perkins also stated that institutions tend to prefer public chains that are reliable, secure, and capable of risk management, and Ethereum still leads significantly in these dimensions.

But Risks Are Also Real

However, some voices have issued warnings. Analyst Benjamin Cowen pointed out that the broader market environment—especially Bitcoin cycles—could delay Ethereum’s growth. ETH is currently consolidating around $2,900, with a negative performance over the year, reflecting cautious sentiment across the market.

From another perspective, the continuous growth of TVL, expanding institutional usage, and strengthened economic security all build a more solid “usage-driven” fundamental for Ethereum. What 2026 will bring remains to be seen, depending on the actual market response.