According to Joseph Chalom, co-CEO of Sharplink, Ethereum’s total value locked (TVL) could see a ten-fold increase by 2026 due to expanding adoption across various use cases and interest from institutional investors.
Sharplink Gaming ranks as the second-largest public Ethereum treasury company, holding 797,704 ETH, valued at approximately $2.33 billion as of this publication, as reported by Ethereum Treasuries data.
Chalom forecasted in a recent X post that the stablecoin market will reach $500 billion by the end of next year, with the current total stablecoin market capitalization around $308.46 billion. An ascent to $500 billion signify an approximate 62% increase.
With Ethereum accounting for over half (54%) of total stablecoin activity, such growth could significantly enhance the network’s TVL.
Tokenized RWA market projected at $300 billion by 2026: Chalom
Chalom forecasts notable growth in tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), estimating the market will reach $300 billion by 2026. “Tokenized assets are expected to increase ten-fold in AUM in 2026, evolving from tokenizing individual funds, stocks, and bonds to comprehensive fund complexes,” Chalom stated.
He highlighted the growing interest over the past year from financial services firms like JPMorgan, Franklin Templeton, and BlackRock as a primary driver.
A rising TVL typically indicates increasing interest in the network, which can enhance market sentiment and potentially impact asset pricing. As of now, Ethereum’s TVL stands at approximately $68.20 billion, according to DeFiLlama.
However, crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen indicated on Tuesday that Ether is unlikely to reach new highs in the upcoming year, given the current conditions surrounding Bitcoin. At present, Ether is valued at $2,924, having fallen 3.12% over the past 30 days, as noted by CoinMarketCap.
Sovereign wealth funds expected to expand Ethereum holdings
Chalom predicts that Ethereum holdings and tokenization efforts by sovereign wealth funds will expand five- to tenfold in the upcoming year.
Related: Ethereum in 2026: Glamsterdam and Hegota forks, L1 scaling and more
“In 2026, this will significantly amplify as competitive dynamics emerge. When this cohort of allocators was previously hesitant to engage with crypto, it was easier to remain on the sidelines,” Chalom remarked.
Additionally, Chalom anticipates that onchain AI agents and prediction markets will become mainstream, consequently driving more activity and value into the ecosystem.
Magazine: Big questions: Would Bitcoin survive a 10-year power outage?
