Tom Lee says Ethereum could power AI-era settlement

Tom Lee said at WebX 2026 that $ETH has the potential to become the settlement layer for the AI era.
He pointed to stronger institutional adoption, the launch of Robinhood Chain, and a more favorable macro backdrop as key catalysts for Ethereum’s next growth phase.
Lee also compared Ethereum’s current market structure to the post-1987 stock market recovery, suggesting ETH may be near a major bottom.
The bigger signal is that Ethereum is being framed less as a speculative asset and more as financial infrastructure for the next phase of digital markets.
He also said Bitmine now holds 5.74 million $ETH, equal to roughly 4.8% of total supply, with plans to gradually increase that stake to 5% while investing across the Ethereum ecosystem.