Ethereum could see a huge boost in its total value locked (TVL) by 2026, possibly increasing ten times, according to Joseph Chalom, co-CEO of Sharplink Gaming. This expected surge comes as more people and institutions start using Ethereum for different purposes like stablecoins, real-world asset tokenization, and AI tools.

Sharplink Gaming is one of the biggest public holders of Ethereum. The company currently owns around 797,704 ETH, which is worth about $2.33 billion. This places it second on the list of top Ethereum treasury holders.

Chalom predicts the stablecoin market will grow from its current $308 billion to around $500 billion by the end of next year. Since over 50% of stablecoin activity happens on the Ethereum network, this growth could directly lead to an increase in Ethereum’s TVL.

He also believes that tokenized real-world assets—such as digital versions of stocks, bonds, and funds—will expand dramatically. Chalom expects the market for these tokenized assets to hit $300 billion by 2026. Major financial players like JPMorgan, Franklin Templeton, and BlackRock are already showing interest in this space, which could speed up adoption.

Right now, Ethereum’s TVL stands at about $68.2 billion, according to DeFiLlama. A rise in TVL usually signals more activity and trust in the network, which can help boost its price and popularity.

Despite this optimistic outlook, some analysts remain cautious. For example, crypto expert Benjamin Cowen said Ether might not reach new all-time highs soon, mainly due to current Bitcoin market trends. As of now, Ethereum is priced at about $2,924, down over 3% in the past month.

Looking ahead, Chalom expects sovereign wealth funds—large investment funds owned by governments—to increase their Ethereum holdings significantly. He says their involvement could grow five to ten times over the next year as crypto becomes more accepted.

Chalom also highlighted that AI-powered agents and on-chain prediction markets will likely become mainstream soon. These technologies could add more activity and value to the Ethereum ecosystem.

As competition heats up and traditional investors enter the space, Ethereum is positioned to play a much larger role in the future of finance and technology.