Tom Lee predicts ether will hit $250,000 as corporate validators take over network control

The Bitmine chairman said DeFi and AI could push the Ethereum network's value into the multi-trillion range, making current prices “future optionality at a discount”. What to know : Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat and chairman of Bitmine, told a Paris conference he believes Ethereum could eventually reach $250,000 as AI and tokenization drive a major shift in financial infrastructure. Bitmine recently bought 111,942 ether, lifting its holdings to nearly 5.4 million ETH, or about 4.47% of the circulating supply, as Lee argues corporate validators will replace the shrinking Ethereum Foundation as key network stewards. Lee said Bitmine now qualifies for inclusion in the Russell 1000 index and claimed its staking-focused model can vastly outperform holding spot ether, contending that current bearish sentiment marks a market bottom for both Bitcoin and Ethereum.