Bitcoin Or Ethereum To $62,000? Fundstrat Releases Contrasting 2026 Predictions

bitcoinistPublished on 2025-12-21Last updated on 2025-12-21

Abstract

Fundstrat's Tom Lee and the firm's research team present contrasting crypto predictions for 2026. While Lee has publicly reiterated a bullish $62,000 target for Ethereum, an internal Fundstrat report warns of significant bearish headwinds in the first half of the year. The report, verified by Wu Blockchain, projects potential drawdowns to $60,000-$65,000 for Bitcoin, $1,800-$2,000 for Ethereum, and $50-$75 for Solana. It suggests these levels would present attractive buying opportunities into year-end. This contrasts with Lee's previous public optimism, including a $250,000 Bitcoin and $12,000 Ethereum forecast. As of now, Bitcoin trades around $88,180 and Ethereum near $2,980.

Tom Lee, chairman of BitMine and managing partner at Fundstrat, has been a vocal optimist when it comes to the cryptocurrency market, especially for Bitcoin and Ethereum. Most recently, Fundstrat’s managing partner revived his $62,000 target call for the Ethereum price in 2026.

However, it appears that Lee and his investment firm do not align in terms of their market expectations for the coming year. Fundstrat seems to be looking at a more bearish setup for most of the large-cap digital assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, in 2026.

$60,000 Is The Target, But Not For Ethereum

According to screenshots posted on social media platform X, Fundstrat released a 2026 crypto strategy report, warning internal clients of potential market headwinds in early 2026. The report’s title, however, also suggested that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana could enjoy significant growth in the second half of next year.

Source: @WuBlockchain on X

Sean Farrell, Fundstrat’s head of digital asset strategy, projected significant drawdowns for the crypto market in the first half of 2026. The research set the target for the Bitcoin price between $60,000 to $65,000, the Ethereum price within $1,800 – $2,000, and the Solana price around $50 – $75.

Farrell wrote in the report:

These levels would present attractive opportunities into year-end. If this view proves incorrect, I still prefer to play defense and wait for confirmation of strength.

This circulating report stands in contrast to the predictions of Tom Lee, who is the chief investment officer (CIO) at Fundstrat. Speaking to attendees at the Binance Blockchain Week earlier this month, Lee stated that the price could run up to as much as $62,000 as Ethereum becomes the core infrastructure for tokenized finance.

In September, at the Korea Blockchain Week, Lee said that the price of Bitcoin could reach as high as $250,000 by year-end, while Ethereum’s value could climb toward $12,000. The rationale for this projection revolved around macro tailwinds and growing institutional interest in crypto assets.

Now, while the Fundstrat internal document has yet to be authenticated by Bitcoinist as of press time, Colin Wu-led outlet Wu Blockchain verified that this document was indeed distributed to internal clients.

Bitcoin And Ethereum Price At A Glance

As of this writing, Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market cap, is valued at around $88,180, reflecting no significant movement in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the price of ETH stands at around $2,980.

The price of BTC on the daily timeframe | Source: BTCUSDT chart on TradingView

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Related Questions

QWhat is the contrasting 2026 price prediction for Ethereum by Fundstrat's head of digital asset strategy compared to Tom Lee's?

AFundstrat's head of digital asset strategy, Sean Farrell, projected Ethereum's price to be within $1,800 - $2,000 in 2026, contrasting sharply with Tom Lee's optimistic target of $62,000.

QWhat are the predicted price ranges for Bitcoin and Solana in the first half of 2026 according to Fundstrat's internal report?

AAccording to Fundstrat's internal report, the predicted price range for Bitcoin is $60,000 to $65,000, and for Solana, it is around $50 to $75 in the first half of 2026.

QWhat was the rationale behind Tom Lee's much higher price predictions for Bitcoin and Ethereum made in September?

ATom Lee's rationale for his high predictions of $250,000 for Bitcoin and $12,000 for Ethereum revolved around macro tailwinds and growing institutional interest in crypto assets.

QAccording to the article, what is the current price of Bitcoin and Ethereum at the time of writing?

AAs of the time of writing, Bitcoin is valued at around $88,180 and Ethereum (ETH) stands at around $2,980.

QWhat is the overall market outlook for large-cap digital assets in early 2026 as described in Fundstrat's report?

AFundstrat's report warns of potential market headwinds and projects significant drawdowns for large-cap digital assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana in the first half of 2026, suggesting a more bearish setup.

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