Tom Lee Forecasts Bitcoin $150K-$250K, Ethereum $9K-$22K by 2026

At the Consensus 2026 conference in Miami on May 7, Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat Global Advisors and chairman of Bitmine Immersion Technologies, forecasted that Ethereum could reach between 9,000 and 22,000 by the end of 2026, while Bitcoin might climb to 150,000 or even 250,000. Lee declared the cryptocurrency market's prolonged downturn, which he termed "crypto winter," officially over, citing recent price recoveries and contrarian signals as evidence of an impending bull phase.

Lee based his outlook on several factors. He pointed to widespread retail investor capitulation earlier in the year as a classic market bottom indicator. "You know you're at the end when people give up on Bitcoin," he said, referencing March frustration that preceded April's rebound. For Bitcoin, he highlighted institutional adoption, spot exchange-traded fund demand, and a potential technical breakout if the price closes May above 76,000, which would mark three consecutive positive months. Ethereum's upside, he argued, could stem from a reversion to its historical ratio against Bitcoin and growth in tokenization of real-world assets, such as bonds and real estate, alongside AI-driven blockchain...