Tom Lee Doubles Down on $250,000 Bitcoin Price Target for 2026

Fundstrat head of research Tom Lee says the firm is expecting new all-time highs for bitcoin in 2026.

Crypto Bull Tom Lee Anticipating Positive Year for Digital Assets Driven By ‘Usefulness of Crypto Increasing’

In a new interview on the Master Investor Podcast, Lee, chairman of the ethereum treasury company Bitmine Immersion Technologies, addresses why, in 2025, crypto didn’t perform as well as the bulls had hoped.

Lee argues that crypto was, in fact, outperforming markets up until October 10 – when digital assets weathered a crash that shaved off roughly half a trillion dollars in market cap and triggered billions in liquidations.

He acknowledges that the lack of liquidity and support from institutional money is still, and will continue to be, a weakness in crypto markets.

Looking forward, though, Lee says he’s sticking with a $250,000 price target on bitcoin and is anticipating new highs for BTC this year.

When asked about the drivers of such a move, he predicts that growing awareness of the utility of crypto tech will be the catalyst that sparks the rally.

Lee said:

“Yeah, we think bitcoin will make a new high this year… It’s driven by I think, the usefulness of crypto increasing. We know banks for instance, are recognizing blockchain and the idea of settlement finality works really well on blockchain.”

The investor also uses stablecoin issuer Tether as an example of how crypto firms are proving the “usefulness” of blockchain technology.

Read More: $10K Bitcoin Path: Strategist Warns Failure to Hold $100K Signals End-Game Risk

Noting that Tether can run an extremely profitable business with a tiny fraction of the employees that traditional banks have, the investor says it could signal the beginning of a giant movement of financial services going onchain.

Lee stated:

“…Tether, which is a crypto-based bank, is proving that a bank that emerges natively on blockchain is actually better than a traditional bank. For instance, it’s expected to make almost $20 billion in 2026 earnings. That would make it a top 5 in terms of profits. On valuation it might be number two, only to JPMorgan, twice the valuation of Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley. Tether only has 300 full-time employees; JPMorgan has 300,000. So by using blockchain, they make more money than any bank and they have less than one per cent of the M1 money supply, and a tiny balance sheet. Yet it’s one of the most profitable banks in the world.”

FAQ 🔮

• What is Tom Lee’s bitcoin price prediction?

Tom Lee says bitcoin could reach $250,000 and set new all-time highs in 2026.

• Why does Lee expect bitcoin to rally?

He argues the rally will be driven by the increasing real-world usefulness of crypto and blockchain technology.

• How do banks factor into Lee’s crypto outlook?

Lee says banks are recognizing blockchain’s efficiency, especially settlement finality, as a superior financial infrastructure.

• Why does Tom Lee cite Tether as a key example?

He points to Tether’s massive profitability with a tiny workforce as proof that blockchain-based financial services outperform traditional banks.