Ethereum’s Total Value Locked May Increase Tenfold by 2026 with Rising Institutional Adoption

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According to Joseph Chalom, co-CEO of Sharplink Gaming, Ethereum’s total value locked may increase tenfold by 2026 as institutional involvement intensifies and new applications gain momentum.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ethereum’s TVL could rise 10× in 2026 as institutions and tokenized assets transition on-chain.
  • The expansion of toward $500 billion is anticipated to significantly drive Ethereum’s activity.
  • Despite improving adoption trends, Ether’s price remains subdued.

This projection arises as prominent financial institutions broaden their engagement with public blockchains and the influx of capital into tokenized assets accelerates.

Sharplink Gaming is recognized as the second-largest public Ethereum treasury entity, holding 797,704 valued at approximately $2.33 billion, according to Ethereum Treasuries data.

Ethereum TVL Set to Increase as Stablecoin Market Aims for $500B

Chalom indicated that the forthcoming phase of Ethereum’s expansion will be fueled less by retail speculation and more by stablecoins, tokenized assets, and the establishment of institutional infrastructure on-chain.

In a post on X, Chalom forecasted that the stablecoin market would achieve $500 billion by the end of next year, rising from around $308 billion today, representing an increase of approximately 62%.

With over half of all stablecoin transactions currently occurring on Ethereum, he contended that ongoing issuance and transaction growth could significantly enhance the network’s TVL.

In addition to stablecoins, Chalom highlighted tokenized real-world assets as a key driver. He anticipates the tokenized RWA market will expand to $300 billion by 2026, characterizing the transition as a shift from isolated products to comprehensive fund complexes being represented on-chain.

In the past year, companies such as JPMorgan, Franklin Templeton, and BlackRock have broadened their pilots and live offerings related to tokenization, indicating greater acceptance from traditional finance.

Currently, Ethereum’s TVL is approximately $68.2 billion, as reported by DeFiLlama. A significant increase would likely indicate heightened institutional participation rather than merely speculative activity.

Growing TVL is frequently regarded as an indicator of network utility and capital commitment, elements that can influence long-term market confidence.

3/ ETH holdings and tokenization by sovereign wealth funds will increase 5-10X.
As onchain activity booms, we’ll see ETH holdings of sovereign wealth funds increase in lock-step as they gain exposure to the “trustware” asset that secures Ethereum, where the majority of the…

— Joseph Chalom (@joechalom) December 26, 2025

However, price performance has not kept pace with the adoption narrative. Ether has declined over 12% in the past year and is currently trading around $2,924, according to CoinMarketCap.

Crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen recently stated that Ether is unlikely to achieve new highs in the near future, referencing broader market conditions linked to Bitcoin’s cycle.

Sovereign Wealth Funds May Enhance Ethereum Exposure 5–10× in 2026: Chalom

Chalom remains concentrated on structural demand rather than short-term price fluctuations. He anticipates that sovereign wealth funds will boost their Ethereum holdings and tokenization exposure by five to ten times over the next year as competitive pressures among large allocators increase.

He noted that remaining on the sidelines was previously considered the safest strategy, but that perspective is beginning to shift.

He also expects on-chain AI agents and prediction markets to gain widespread acceptance in 2026, contributing additional activity to Ethereum’s ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Peter Thiel-backed ETHZilla has started to unwind a strategy that once positioned it among the most aggressive corporate holders of Ethereum, selling $74.5 million worth of ETH and signaling a clear departure from a purely crypto treasury model.

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