What will Ethereum's performance look like in 2026? Currently, opinions in the market are divided. Many institutions consider this year as Ethereum's "transition year" or "structural shift year," but there is a clear divergence in forecasts for its subsequent trajectory.

The optimistic side believes that Ethereum's fundamentals are strengthening. The Wall Street asset tokenization boom, the continuous expansion of the stablecoin market, and the dominant position of the DeFi ecosystem all provide strong support for ETH. According to these forecasts, ETH could surge to the $7,000-$9,000 range in early 2026, with a chance to approach $12,000 by the end of the year. Some institutions remain optimistic but have lowered their year-end target to $7,500 due to macroeconomic uncertainties — reflecting that even the bullish are becoming more cautious.

However, bearish voices cannot be ignored. Some analysts warn that there may be a "risk liquidation event" in the first half of 2026, during which market volatility will significantly increase, and mainstream crypto assets may face price corrections. Following this logic, ETH could be pushed back to lower price levels.

Overall, from asset tokenization, stablecoins, to DeFi, Ethereum's ecosystem support is indeed becoming more substantial. But macro risks remain an unavoidable variable.