Bitmine Stakes $4 Billion in Ethereum: Tom Lee Forecasts Price Jump in 2026
- Bitmine has staked nearly one-third of its $13 billion in total holdings into ethereum, signaling strong confidence in the cryptocurrency’s future.
- Tom Lee forecasts price jump in 2026, citing favorable macroeconomic conditions and increasing institutional adoption of ethereum.
- Lee urges shareholders to vote for his stock split proposal before January 15 to set the stage for a future stock split.
In a bold move highlighting growing confidence in the ethereum, Bitmine has staked almost $4 billion worth of eth, nearly one-third of its total holdings. This significant stake solidifies Bitmine as a major player in the ethereum ecosystem. Tom Lee forecasts price jump in 2026, anticipating a substantial recovery and further gains in the crypto market. This article delves into the details of this strategic decision, its potential impact on the ethereum price, and the broader implications for the cryptocurrency market.
Bitmine Stakes 4bn Ethereum
Bitmine has staked $4bn ethereum, representing a substantial portion of its total holdings. Chair Tom Lee said on Monday that the digital asset treasury firm “will be the largest staking provider in the entire crypto ecosystem”. This move reduces liquid eth supply while increasing demand. This strategic decision aims to capitalize on staking rewards and reinforces ethereum’s role as a leading blockchain network.
Tom Lee Forecasts Price Jump in 2026
Tom Lee forecasts price jump in 2026, citing several factors that support ethereum’s growth. These include rising on-chain activity, network upgrades, and increasing adoption by institutional investors. Lee’s bullish outlook comes as cryptocurrencies now trade significantly below their all-time highs. Lee continues to view the leverage reset post October 10, 2025 as akin to the ‘mini crypto winter.’ He believes “2026 is the year crypto prices recover and with stronger gains in 2027-2028.”
Key Data Comparison
| Metric | Current Value | Previous Month | Year Ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum Price | $3,139 | $3,300 | $2,500 |
| Bitmine’s Ethereum Holdings | $4 Billion | $3.5 Billion | $2 Billion |
| Ethereum Staking APR | 2.8% | 2.5% | 2.0% |
Ethereum and Institutional Adoption
Despite recent market volatility, ethereum is finding solid footing on Wall Street. JPMorgan has selected the network for its first-ever tokenised money market fund, an asset class valued at $9 trillion. Furthermore, Morgan Stanley filed for an ethereum exchange-traded fund product earlier this month. These developments are reinforcing ethereum’s role as a key player in traditional finance and demonstrating the increasing acceptance of crypto.
Lee Urges Shareholders to Vote for Stock Split
Lee urges shareholders to vote before January 15 to support his stock split proposal. The proposal aims to increase the company’s authorized shares to from 500 million to 50 billion in order to set the stage for a future stock split. Lee argues that a stock split will be necessary because Bitmine’s “stock price follows ethereum price”. He projects the company’s stock trading at $5,000 per share when ethereum reaches $250,000. This future stock split will be necessary because Bitmine’s stock price follows ethereum’s.
Largest Ethereum Treasury
Backed by top institutional investors including Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest, Bitmine is the largest ethereum treasury in the world. It owns 3.45% of the total supply and targets 5%. A larger circulating supply is needed for further ethereum adoption.
Deep Dive: Market Analysis
The crypto market movers indicate positive momentum for both bitcoin and ethereum. Bitcoin is up 1.9% over the past 24 hours, trading at $92,440, while ethereum is up 0.8% past 24 hours at $3,139. Standard Chartered predicts the second-largest crypto will hit $40,000 per token by 2030, citing institutional adoption. Bitmine has staked over 1.25 million ETH, accounting for more than a third of its total ETH holdings.
Conclusion
Bitmine’s strategic stake in ethereum and Tom Lee forecasts price jump in 2026 signal a bullish outlook for the cryptocurrency. As institutional adoption grows and network upgrades enhance ethereum’s capabilities, the stage is set for significant price appreciation. However, as with all cryptocurrencies, investors should be aware of the risks and conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. The future stock split will be necessary for further ethereum adoption.
