Core Viewpoint - Ethereum is showing strong potential for growth in 2026, with a 10% increase at the start of the year and a narrative suggesting it may outperform Bitcoin this year [1] Group 1: Blockchain Activity - There has been a significant surge in blockchain activity, with Ethereum's transaction activity increasing by 31% since mid-December, indicating the positive impact of recent upgrades like the Fusaka upgrade [2] - Ethereum is at the center of major trends in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, particularly the rise of stablecoins and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, which are expected to drive substantial growth [3] - The stablecoin market cap grew by 49% in 2025, highlighting the rapid expansion in this area [3] Group 2: Asset Tokenization - Asset tokenization is experiencing significant growth, with major Wall Street firms embracing it, leading to comparisons of this moment to the pivotal shift away from the gold standard in the 1970s [4] - Consulting firms are identifying asset tokenization as a potential multitrillion-dollar market opportunity, suggesting that the leading blockchain in this space will see a substantial increase in value [5] Group 3: Regulatory Environment - The pro-crypto regulatory environment under the Trump administration is expected to benefit Ethereum, as supportive legislation continues to emerge [6] - Ethereum's dominance in decentralized finance provides it with an early-mover advantage in the growing markets of stablecoins and asset tokenization [6]