- Ryan Sean Adams projects Ethereum could reach $17,000 by becoming a leading store of value and combining monetary strength with staking rewards.
- Analysts compare Ethereum’s potential growth to past surges and suggest its narrative as “digital Gold with yield” must be strengthened for mainstream adoption.
- Skeptics argue against Ethereum’s scarcity and monetary role, while its recent recovery leaves it well below previous highs despite short-term gains.
Ryan Sean Adams, co-founder of Bankless and a prominent advocate for Ethereum (ETH), has sparked debate by forecasting ETH could reach $17,000, multiplying its current price nearly nine times. The prediction centers on Ethereum evolving into a dominant store of value by merging its investment premium with staking-based income.
This outlook gained momentum after analyst Kiu_Coin described Ethereum’s recent market activity as a classic “shakeout”—a sharp sell-off that often comes before a large market rally. Comparing current conditions to a slump that preceded a dramatic 1,310% surge in 2021, the analyst suggested on TradingView that Ethereum could soon repeat history.
On social media, Adams argued Ethereum might match Bitcoin’s $2 trillion valuation if it adopts strategies similar to Bitcoin’s monetary branding, which he called the “Blue-Money Gospel.”
He urged ETH holders to “stake, evangelize, and shame anyone who sells,” emphasizing that Ethereum underpins decentralized finance and crypto values. According to Adams, “Money is belief encoded as code,” underscoring his argument that Ethereum is more than just fuel for decentralized applications—it’s becoming a deflationary, yield-bearing digital commodity.
Ark Invest supported this narrative earlier in the year by comparing ETH’s staking returns to those of U.S. Treasury bills, suggesting in a public statement that Ethereum could be seen as a “digital bond.” Additionally, Frax Finance founder Sam Kazemian told Bankless listeners that Ethereum’s main challenge is not technical, but about how the asset is perceived. Kazemian remarked, “Ethereum, the tech, is the most bullish thing in crypto. But ETH, the asset, needs fixing.”
Despite this optimism, the projection has met opposition from Bitcoin supporters and Ethereum critics. For example, Boyd Cohen dismissed the idea of Ethereum as digital gold, saying, “Bitcoin is absolutely scarce and Ethereum is absolutely not.” Similarly, John Haar from Swan Bitcoin questioned the foundation of Ethereum’s value proposition, stating, “Yield from users doing what? ETH isn’t money.” Skeptics also point to the ETH/BTC ratio, which has fallen 77% since its 2021 peak, as evidence of Ethereum’s declining standing as a monetary asset.
After a difficult first quarter and a dip to $1,400 in April, ETH’s price has rallied by nearly 30%, trading just shy of $1,800. Yet, broader challenges persist, with Ethereum’s value down 44% year over year and sitting 63% below its all-time high of $4,878.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
Previous Articles:
- Russia Eyes Ruble Stablecoin with 7 Key Criteria, Faces Regulations
- Bankera Founders Used ICO Funds for Luxury Properties, Report Shows
- Dalio: Global Monetary Order on “Brink” Amid Trump Tariff Turbulence
- Gold-Backed Cryptos Soar as Trump’s Tariffs Ignite Trade War Concerns
- MetaMask Launches Self-Custodied Crypto Card Powered by Mastercard
