Although Ethereum’s price performance in 2025 did not meet market expectations, some industry experts believe that solely focusing on ETH prices may cause us to miss more significant structural changes. Kevin Rusher, founder of RAAC, pointed out that Ethereum’s true growth momentum is gradually emerging in stablecoins, tokenized assets, and institutional-grade payment applications, with 2026 potentially becoming a critical turning point.
From a price perspective, Ethereum experienced an overall decline of nearly 10% in 2025, which once led to cautious market sentiment. However, after January 2026, ETH showed signs of stabilization and rebound, with the price climbing back above the $3,000 mark. Short-term fluctuations still exist, but Rusher believes that prices do not fully reflect Ethereum’s current true development stage.
He emphasized that institutional investors are accelerating their adoption of the Ethereum network, especially in stablecoin issuance and settlement. Data shows that during the holiday season, the total value of stablecoins on the Ethereum network exceeded $59 billion, accounting for over 62% of the market share, significantly leading other mainstream blockchains. This trend continues to solidify Ethereum’s position in institutional-grade financial infrastructure.
In the realm of real-world asset tokenization (RWA), Ethereum’s advantages are even more apparent. Currently, the tokenized assets on Ethereum amount to approximately $12.5 billion, holding over 65% of the market share, far surpassing competing networks like BNB Chain, Solana, and Arbitrum. The rapid growth of tokenized gold trading is particularly notable, with related transaction volumes rising from $1 billion at the beginning of the year to over $4 billion, almost entirely concentrated within the Ethereum ecosystem.
Fund flows also confirm that institutional preferences are changing. In 2025, capital inflows into Bitcoin slowed significantly compared to the previous year, while inflows into Ethereum doubled. Multiple studies show that the proportion of asset management institutions holding Ethereum is now comparable to Bitcoin, with its share in some institutional portfolios continuing to increase.
Overall, the price slump of Ethereum in 2025 did not weaken its core position in stablecoins, RWA, and payments. As institutional funds continue to deploy and application scenarios expand, ETH’s fundamentals are undergoing profound changes. If this trend continues, 2026 could become a pivotal year for the market to reprice Ethereum’s value.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Hey Anon Announces Launch of “Pandora” Prediction Market on Ethereum
Hey Anon launches Pandora, a decentralized AI-driven prediction market on Ethereum, empowering users to create transparent markets without central control. The platform features unique AI consensus mechanisms and aims to innovate the prediction market landscape.
CoinDesk46m ago
Yesterday, the US spot BTC ETF had a net outflow of $225.5 million, and the ETH ETF had a net outflow of $48.5 million.
Gate News Report, March 28 - According to monitoring by Farside, yesterday (March 27), the U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF saw a net outflow of $225.5 million, marking two consecutive trading days of net outflows. Yesterday, the U.S. spot Ethereum ETF had a net outflow of $48.5 million, resulting in eight consecutive trading days of net outflows.
GateNews1h ago
The chain remains, but the people are gone! Ethereum veteran of 10 years: the middle layer has been completely wiped out, and in the future, there will only be heaven and earth left.
Ethereum developer Chen Pin reflects on the past decade, pointing out that the middle layer of the blockchain industry has disappeared, and the future will move toward two extremes: "trusted neutrality" or toolization. He reviewed the development of the past three phases and questioned the potential idealism or pragmatism direction for the future.
CryptoCity1h ago
Yesterday, the U.S. spot Ethereum ETF saw a net outflow of $48.5 million, marking eight consecutive trading days of net outflows.
BlockBeats news, on March 28, according to Farside monitoring, yesterday the U.S. spot Ethereum ETF had a net outflow of 48.5 million dollars, marking eight consecutive trading days of net outflows.
BlockBeatNews1h ago
21shares will distribute staking rewards to ETH and SOL ETF investors on March 31.
Gate News reported that on March 28, cryptocurrency ETP issuer 21Shares announced that it will distribute staking yield dividends to investors of its Ethereum ETF (TETH) and Solana ETF (TSOL) on March 31. Among them, TETH investors will receive $0.012530 per share, while TSOL investors will receive $0.016962 per share.
GateNews3h ago
