Prediction: 2026 Will Be the Year of Ethereum (ETH)

It's been a rough start to the year for Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). The world's second-largest cryptocurrency is already down 33%, and currently trades for a price of about $2,000. That's about 60% lower than it was just six months ago.

Against that backdrop, it might seem unlikely that Ethereum can turn things around in 2026. But that's exactly what I'm predicting. Ethereum could more than double in value to reclaim the $5,000 price level. A lot has to go right, of course, but here are three catalysts that could make it happen.

A change in market sentiment

It all starts with market sentiment. Right now, the crypto fear and greed index has a reading of 12 out of 100. That's near panic-selling levels, and a possible sign that Ethereum could be reaching the bottom of its market cycle. Market sentiment simply can't get any worse, can it?

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Some savvy Wall Street investors are already trying to get ahead of the curve. They are snapping up shares of Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSEMKT: BMNR), the world's largest Ethereum treasury company, in anticipation of any price rally that will lift all Ethereum-related assets.

Growth in DeFi

As a Layer-1 blockchain network, Ethereum is the foundation for everything that gets built in the world of decentralized finance (DeFi). And, right now, Ethereum is a DeFi behemoth. It accounts for a whopping 57% of all total value locked (TVL), a key metric for measuring overall DeFi strength. No other blockchain even comes close.

For good reason, Ethereum has become the preferred blockchain of Wall Street. Whether it's stablecoins or new real-world asset (RWA) tokenization projects, Ethereum is the go-to choice for major Wall Street firms right now. The lines are blurring between the worlds of traditional finance and blockchain finance, and Ethereum is leading the way.

New crypto market legislation on the way

Finally, there's still the matter of comprehensive legislation for the crypto market. The piece of legislation that many crypto enthusiasts are buzzing about right now is the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, simply known as the Clarity Act. As the name suggests, it promises to bring clarity to how digital assets are regulated, especially those that are central to Ethereum's DeFi ambitions.

If this piece of legislation gets signed into law this year, it could have the same huge knock-on effects for Ethereum as the Genius Act had last year. The passage of the Genius Act for stablecoins last summer coincided with a blockbuster rally for Ethereum that eventually led to an all-time high of $4,954 in August.

Can Ethereum reclaim the $5,000 price level?

Getting back to this $5,000 price level won't be easy. But it's simply unfathomable that Ethereum is trading around the $2,000 price level right now. Just a few months ago, Wall Street analysts were predicting that Ethereum could break through the $10,000 price level. If Ethereum's price has indeed bottomed out, then the time to buy is now.

Of course, there are no guarantees, given Ethereum's historical volatility. But if you're looking to double your money in 2026 and are willing to take on the risk of investing in crypto, then Ethereum is worth a closer look.

Dominic Basulto has positions in Ethereum. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Ethereum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.