2025-12-27 15:25:45

The next phase of Ethereum's growth is being driven by two simultaneous forces — large-scale institutional capital inflows and fundamental protocol layer technological innovations.

Let's start with the funding aspect. The latest insights from mainstream analysis institutions indicate that the expansion of stablecoin market size, the wave of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, and the participation of sovereign wealth funds will be the three main drivers of Ethereum's TVL growth by 2026. Specifically: the stablecoin market could reach $500 billion, tokenized RWA could hit $300 billion, and sovereign fund holdings of Ethereum and related assets may increase by 5 to 10 times. The adoption of on-chain AI agents and prediction markets is also on the horizon. Recent whale operations confirm this outlook — some institutions have staked 74,880 ETH in a single transaction, while other participants are adjusting their positions. These are all preludes to major upcoming trends.

More fundamentally, technological transformation is underway. 2026 will be a pivotal turning point for Ethereum's zero-knowledge proof (ZK) scaling. What does this mean? Validators will no longer need high-end hardware to maintain network security — they only need to verify lightweight ZK proofs. Ethereum researchers have even demonstrated validation using old laptops, directly lowering participation barriers and increasing decentralization.

The specific upgrade path is already clear: currently in Phase 0, transitioning to Phase 1 in 2026, and achieving full ZK integration in Phase 2 by 2027. It is expected that by the end of 2026, about 10% of validators will switch to ZK validation mode, providing immediate visible scaling benefits for Ethereum Layer 1 and paving the way to reach a throughput of 10,000 TPS. Concurrently, the Glamsterdam fork upgrade will significantly enhance parallel processing capabilities, with the Gas limit planned to be increased to 200 million.

The beauty of this architecture lies in the fact that complex computational work is handled by specialized builders, while the network itself becomes more decentralized, more efficient, and safer. Since the Merge, energy consumption has plummeted by 99.95%, Layer 2 transaction speeds have increased by hundreds of times, and the number of developers has grown by 40% annually — these changes are already happening.

ETH0,42%

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

15 Likes

Reward
15
6
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

GasFeeNightmare

· 11h ago

Single transaction of 74,880 ETH? No way, is this serious? Some people are really going all in. Can ZK verification be done with an old laptop? Then wouldn't my previous mining rig be a waste of electricity... But on the other hand, can decentralization really take off? Switching 10% of validators to ZK by 2026 doesn't sound like much. How long will it take to truly implement then? RWA (Real-World Assets) worth 300 billion, stablecoins worth 500 billion... These numbers sound promising, but could they just be the same old rhetoric from brokers, claiming every year that this year will be different? Sovereign funds growing 5 to 10 times, if that's true, the entire landscape would have to change. But the prerequisite is that policies don't cause any more trouble.

View OriginalReply0

PumpBeforeRug

· 11h ago

Oh no, another bunch of ZK scaling issues, it sounds so good that it's almost unbelievable. Can all the mainnet be verified? Then can I do it too? Haha, never mind, I’m afraid my crappy computer can’t handle it. 500 billion stablecoins + 300 billion RWA, the numbers sound great, but I don’t know when they will actually land... Still waiting until 2026, let’s see if we can avoid a rug pull this year first. 74,880 ETH in one go, this whale is really bold. I wonder if this is confidence from institutions or the madness of gamblers. Gas limit of 200 million? Oh my, if that’s true, Layer 1 will take off, but I still trust Layer 2 a bit more. 10,000 TPS sounds good, but I’m worried it’s just talk and no action.

View OriginalReply0

RektCoaster

· 11h ago

Old whales are starting to get on board. This time, it's really different... 74,880 ETH poured in at once, feels like a major event is coming --- Is an old laptop enough for ZK verification? Damn, this is what true decentralization looks like, not just empty slogans --- Another 500 billion stablecoins, 300 billion RWA... Every time I see these numbers, I want to ask, can this money really come in? --- By 2026, 10% of validators will switch to ZK mode. It feels like just the beginning, the real explosion is still to come --- A 99.95% reduction in energy consumption is a bit unbelievable, but Layer2's hundredfold speed is indeed in use --- Glamsterdam Gas cap is set at 200 million, I wonder if it will just be another paper number --- Is the sovereign fund coming? Then the crypto world is really about to turn around --- 10,000 TPS might still be too optimistic. It's almost 2026, and it hasn't fully been implemented yet --- Tokenization of RWA is actually the key, much more reliable than stablecoins and such --- Developers growing at 40% annually... What does this mean? Is the ecosystem really recovering?

View OriginalReply0

LiquiditySurfer

· 11h ago

Damn, ZK verification can be done with an old laptop? If this really gets implemented, it will significantly lower the barrier to entry and directly increase decentralization.

View OriginalReply0

TokenDustCollector

· 12h ago

Haha, 74,880 ETH in a single stake, this is really not a small move. Big players are quietly making their moves. Can an old laptop handle ZK verification? If this really gets implemented, the level of decentralization will skyrocket. It sounds like 2026 will be a critical year, but I'm just worried it will fall into the old pattern of technical delays. Let's wait and see. If RWA and stablecoins really take off, that would be a true breakthrough. For now, they are mostly in the conceptual stage. Gas limit of 200 million? That would save a lot of money. Looking forward to it!

View OriginalReply0

APY追逐者

· 12h ago

Is this ZK scaling really coming? Feels like another big milestone every year, let's wait and see. Can an old laptop verify? Then maybe I can participate too, haha. 74,880 ETH single staking... Are institutions really deploying or is this just the prelude to cutting leeks? 500 billion stablecoins, 300 billion RWA... The numbers look impressive, but how long will it actually take to land? In 2026, 10% of validators switching to ZK? That doesn't sound like much. Will we see real results by then? Gas limit pushed to 200 million, if that's true, it's outrageous... But I still can't quite believe it. How will APY change? Will the returns increase or decrease? Key question. 40% developer growth is undeniable; these are solid numbers. 10,000 TPS... Heard this promise several times. Wake up, everyone. If sovereign funds really participate, it will be different; this time it might not just be hype.

View OriginalReply0