Ethereum (ETH) ended 2025 with a weaker-than-expected performance, and sentiment towards the asset remained subdued. However, RAAC founder Kevin Lasher argues that focusing solely on price misses the big picture.
According to Lasher, 2026 could be the year Ethereum blinds the market due to accelerated institutional adoption and growth in stablecoins, tokenized assets, and payments.
Everyone is focused on the price of ETH, but Ethereum’s real growth lies elsewhere.
Ethereum is down nearly 10% in 2025 following significant losses last quarter. In particular, January 2026 got off to a strong start, with assets recording modest gains.
BeInCrypto Markets data shows that Ethereum has surpassed the $3,000 mark. It rose by 1.76% in the past 24 hours. At the time of this writing, ETH was trading at $3,030.
Ethereum (ETH) price performance. Source: BeInCrypto Markets
While price fluctuations make headlines and garner attention within the community, Lasher argues that some commentators are overlooking a more important trend: Ethereum’s increasing institutional adoption.
“While some myopic pundits are overly focused on the price of ETH, they are missing the massive institutional adoption that will cement Ethereum as the new king of cryptocurrencies,” Lasher said.
The executive explained that Ethereum has captured the top share in the fast-growing area of the cryptocurrency economy. Stablecoins will be issued on the network on Christmas exceeded At $59 billion, it accounts for over 62% of the total market, significantly outperforming competing blockchains and reinforcing Ethereum’s dominance.
Tokenized assets strengthen Ethereum’s position
The tokenized asset sector further strengthens the bullish trend. BeInCrypto reported that Real World Assets (RWA) recorded a significant increase in 2025 despite the widespread market downturn.
Additionally, industry experts and crypto Twitter remain optimistic about 2026, expecting continued momentum and further expansion across the sector.
According to data from RWA.xyz, Ethereum currently hosts $12.5 billion in tokenized assets, accounting for over 65% of the market. Lasher added that its closest competitor, BNB Chain, has just $2 billion in holdings, while Solana and Arbitrum each have less than $1 billion in holdings. Therefore, Ethereum could benefit further if this sector grows this year.
“In fact, over the Christmas period, tokenized gold alone on Ethereum exceeded $4 billion, up from just $1 billion at the beginning of the year. The massive gold rush we are seeing in tokenized gold is happening almost exclusively on Ethereum, and this growth is only going in one direction as central banks and investors scramble to capture it in every way possible,” he said.
Capital flows indicate institutional preferences
Lasher also told BeInCrypto that while sentiment around ETH prices remains subdued, capital flows paint a different picture. By 2025, the amount of inflow into Bitcoin will be half of what it was in 2024. Meanwhile, inflows into Ethereum doubled.
The executive cited research from State Street that found that 6% of asset managers have more than 5% of their assets under management in Ethereum, compared to 5% for the same level of exposure to Bitcoin.
Finally, Lasher pointed to an Artemis report that highlighted that B2B stablecoin payments on Ethereum steadily increased from August 2024 to August 2025.
“In short, anyone still betting on Bitcoin as a growth asset in 2026 is likely to be blindsided by Ethereum’s massive growth, fueled by stablecoins, tokenization, and payments, which institutions are absorbing like there’s no tomorrow,” he said.
Lasher is not alone in his optimism. BitMine Chairman Tom Lee also expressed a bullish outlook on Ethereum. In a recent interview, Lee predicted that ETH could reach $7,000 to $9,000 by early 2026, suggesting it could rise 130% to 200% from current levels.
Overall, Ethereum’s price performance may lag in 2025, but the underlying data suggests that Ethereum’s role in the digital asset economy continues to expand. Whether this growth translates into sustained price increases will become clearer as 2026 progresses.
The post “Expert explains why 2026 could be the year Ethereum blindsides the market” appeared first on BeInCrypto.
