Fundstrat International Advisors co-founder Tom Lee stated Monday Bitcoin has not but peaked and will attain a brand new all-time excessive as quickly as this month, doubling down on a bullish crypto and fairness outlook throughout a CNBC Squawk Field look.
“I don’t suppose bitcoin has peaked but,” Lee stated. “We have been overly optimistic about attaining the high-water mark earlier than December, however I do imagine that bitcoin can hit a brand new all-time excessive by the tip of January 2026. So, we must always not assume that the costs of bitcoin, ethereum, or different cryptocurrencies have already peaked.”
The decision comes after a late-2025 pullback throughout digital property and positions January as a possible breakout month, a notable escalation in Lee’s long-running crypto bull case. In August, Lee predicted bitcoin would surpass $200,000 earlier than the tip of final 12 months. Bitcoin finally hit an all-time excessive north of $126,000 in October, effectively beneath Lee’s prediction, and traded at round $88,500 on Dec. 31, 2025, in line with CoinDesk information.
Lee predicted 2026 will likely be a unstable however finally constructive 12 months for crypto markets. Nevertheless, he warned of near-term turbulence pushed by institutional repositioning earlier than a stronger second half.
“2026 goes to be a 12 months of two halves. The primary half of 2026 could also be robust as we take care of institutional rebalancing and a ‘strategic reset’ within the crypto markets, however that volatility is strictly what units the stage for the large rally we anticipate within the again half,” he stated.
Based on Lee, the reset shouldn’t be an indication of structural weak spot however somewhat a digestion part following a number of years of outsized beneficial properties throughout threat property.
Lee was particularly bullish on ether, arguing that the asset is getting into a multi-year growth part paying homage to Bitcoin’s 2017–2021 run. Final 12 months, he stated ether would hit an all-time-high of $15,000 by December. This prediction was additionally a miss; the cryptocurrency’s highest worth in 2025 was $4,830, and it traded at roughly $3,300 in December. In Monday’s look, he demonstrated his continued bullish ETH stance, together with his crypto mining agency Bitmine Immersion Applied sciences buying extra ether. It now holds 4.14 thousands and thousands.
“Our perception is that Ethereum is dramatically undervalued,” Lee stated. “We imagine ETH is getting into a supercycle much like Bitcoin from 2017 to 2021.”
He framed ETH publicity as a balance-sheet crucial somewhat than a speculative wager. “Buying an asset that may respect by 10 occasions or extra is a strategic necessity for any trendy treasury,” Lee stated.
Past crypto, Lee outlined one among Wall Avenue’s most aggressive fairness forecasts, projecting the S&P 500 to succeed in 7,700 by the tip of 2026 on the again of resilient company earnings.
“For those who have a look at the elemental energy of the U.S. economic system and the AI-driven productiveness beneficial properties, we’re a path to S&P 7,700 by year-end 2026,” Lee stated. “That is supported by an EPS story that’s much more resilient than the bears are giving it credit score for.”
Nonetheless, Lee framed any pullbacks as alternative somewhat than warning. “There’s so much to be optimistic about in 2026.”
UPDATE (Jan. 5, 2026, 18:05 UTC): Provides further element, corrects Bitcoin’s all-time excessive worth.