TLDR
- Tom Lee says Ethereum is a “neutral chain” that will be favored by Wall Street and the White House.
- BitMine’s market cap surged from $37.6M to $9.45B since shifting to an Ethereum treasury model.
- Tom Lee predicts Ethereum’s price could reach $12,000-$15,000 by the end of 2025.
- BitMine holds 2.15 million ETH, making it the largest Ethereum treasury in the world.
Tom Lee, the co-founder of Fundstrat and Chairman of BitMine, made headlines at the Korea Blockchain Week 2025’s Impact conference by emphasizing Ethereum’s growing role in the financial world. Lee described Ethereum as a “truly neutral chain,” which he believes will be favored by both Wall Street and the White House.
He explained that Wall Street, known for its need for neutrality, would prefer a decentralized and neutral blockchain like Ethereum over centralized alternatives. This makes Ethereum the top contender for becoming the primary blockchain in the financial ecosystem. “If you think about how Wall Street operates, they will only want to do and operate on a neutral chain,” Lee stated.
Ethereum’s Role in Crypto Adoption by the Trump Administration
Lee also highlighted the Trump administration’s growing support for Ethereum. According to Lee, both the White House and Congress, which have become more pro-crypto under Trump, are aligning with Ethereum as a preferred blockchain.
He pointed out that discussions around Ethereum and its potential, especially in combination with artificial intelligence and automation, are gaining momentum.
“So when I look at that, combined with agentic AI and robots, a lot of that will happen on Ethereum,” Lee explained. This shift underscores the importance of Ethereum in shaping future technology-driven economies. Lee also noted President Trump’s recent remarks about needing “proof-of-human” mechanisms, which he believes will likely be implemented on Ethereum.
BitMine’s Shift to Ethereum Treasury
BitMine has seen a remarkable transformation since it shifted its focus to an Ethereum treasury model. Lee mentioned that the decision to build the company’s treasury around Ethereum was made with the long-term view of Ethereum entering a “super cycle” expected to last 10 to 15 years. As a result, BitMine’s market capitalization skyrocketed from $37.6 million in June to $9.45 billion as of September 2025.
BitMine now holds 2.15 million ETH, making it the largest Ethereum treasury in the world. The company’s growth has paralleled Ethereum’s increasing adoption by institutional investors.
As Lee pointed out, both BitMine and MicroStrategy, a Bitcoin-focused treasury company, represent a significant portion of the cryptocurrency trading volume. Lee believes these companies are effectively functioning like large-cap stocks, attracting institutional interest and passive inflows.
Ethereum Price Predictions: $12,000-$15,000 by Year-End
Despite recent corrections, Tom Lee remains bullish on Ethereum. He predicts the cryptocurrency’s price could reach between $12,000 and $15,000 by the end of 2025, citing strong support from both Wall Street and government entities.
Lee also expects Ethereum to surpass its previous highs, with “real price discovery” occurring as institutional adoption continues to rise.
Lee’s price prediction aligns with Fundstrat’s technical targets, forecasting that Ethereum will experience significant growth alongside Bitcoin. “Ethereum, as a price ratio to Bitcoin, should recover to its prior highs, either average or at least five-year highs,” he said. With Bitcoin prices projected to reach $250,000 by the end of 2025, Ethereum’s price is expected to ride that wave, reaching new all-time highs.
