In a recent discussion on the Bankless YouTube podcast hosted by David Hoffman, two of the crypto industry’s most respected figures — Tom Lee, the Chairman of BitMine, and Arthur Hayes, founder and former CEO of BitMEX — shared remarkably bullish outlooks for the Ethereum price. Both executives forecasted that Ethereum could soar to $10,000 or higher by year’s end, driven by fundamental growth and shifting market dynamics. Their comments, made after BTC reached new all-time highs above $126,000, have added fresh momentum and optimism that the upcoming Q4 bull rally could center on ETGH.
During the Bankless podcast, Hayes was the first to respond when asked for his End of the Year (EOY) price expectations for both Ethereum and Bitcoin. Without hesitation, the BitMEX founder projected that ETH could climb to $10,000 and BTC to $250,000 before the year closes. When pressed on whether Ethereum could realistically more than double in just over two months, Hayes answered confidently that it could, emphasizing the strength of the current market momentum.
Lee’s response to the same question was even more optimistic. Despite the recent crypto market flash crash, the BitMine Chairman placed his Ethereum target between $10,000 and $12,000 and shared a similarly bullish view for Bitcoin, predicting a range between $200,000 and $250,000. When asked why he believes Ethereum could reach such a high valuation in the short term and if such rapid price appreciation might be unsustainable, Lee dismissed concerns, noting that ETH has been consolidating since its 2021 peak.
He argued that the market would not become overheated once it reaches $10,000, but rather could enter a new phase of price discovery, underpinned by strong fundamentals and innovative developments within the ecosystem. He also stated $10,000 is not the cycle top for Ethereum, and forthcoming developments in 2026 could create room for further price growth.
As the interview progressed, the discussion turned toward the evolving dynamics between Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the broader crypto market. Turning his attention to Hayes, Hoffman asked whether Ethereum should be compared to Bitcoin or other smart contracts within the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) space. The BitMEX founder replied that he sees Bitcoin as money and Ethereum as “compute.” He described ETH as the “computing reference asset” of the crypto space, noting that the altcoin is positioned above the rest of the crypto landscape in terms of technology.
Lee agreed, but added that he views Ethereum as both money and a computing asset. He defined Bitcoin as digital gold and ETH as an architectural foundation for innovation, particularly in areas such as Wall Street and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The BitMine Chairman underscored that Ethereum’s growth trajectory is not dependent on competing with Bitcoin but rather on expanding its own utility and adoption.
