Vivek Raman predicts Ethereum will reach $15,000 by 2026, becoming Wall Street’s default blockchain
Vivek Raman predicts ETH will rise to $15,000 by 2026, a five‑fold increase driven by institutional treasury demand. He describes ETH as “digital oil,” complementing Bitcoin’s “digital gold.” Public‑company investors such as BitMine Immersion, Sharplink Gaming, The Ether Machine and Bit Digital have collectively bought about 4.5% of ETH supply, echoing MicroStrategy’s BTC strategy. Tokenization is shifting from proof‑of‑concept to large‑scale deployment, with institutions favoring Ethereum for high‑value, tightly regulated assets. Projects include JPMorgan, Fidelity, BlackRock’s BUIDL fund, Apollo’s ACRED, Amundi’s euro‑denominated money market, BNY Mellon, and a planned Baillie Gifford bond fund. The process consolidates assets, data and payments onto a shared blockchain, enabling internet‑speed settlement. Stablecoins present the clearest on‑chain product fit, projected to move over $10 trillion in transfers by 2025, with 60% residing on Ethereum and its L2s. The 2025 US GENIUS Act gave regulatory clearance, prompting banks like SoFi to launch stablecoins on Ethereum. This regulatory green light is expected to spur broader issuance by fintechs, neobanks and investment banks. Institutions are likely to adopt Ethereum’s Layer‑2 ecosystem rather than a single chain, gaining jurisdictional customization while inheriting Ethereum’s security and liquidity. L2 economics offer profit margins above 90%, making them attractive for bespoke chains. Notable examples include Coinbase Base, Robinhood’s planned L2, SWIFT’s use of Linea, JPMorgan’s tokenized deposits on Base, and Deutsche Bank’s permissioned L2 network.