Bernstein says Ethereum and Solana are next as Bitcoin dominates financial markets

Brokerage firm Bernstein highlighted a positive medium-term outlook for Ethereum, driven by the potential approval of Ethereum-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In a recent research report, Bernstein said that Ethereum's native cryptocurrency, Ether (ETH), stands a big chance of receiving spot ETF approval, becoming the second digital asset to achieve this milestone after Bitcoin.

According to Bernstein, the probability of Ether spot ETF approval by May is about 50%, with a near-certain chance within the next 12 months. This optimistic forecast is buoyed by interest from financial heavyweights like Franklin Templeton, BlackRock (NYSE:BLK), and Fidelity, which have already seen Bitcoin ETFs approved and are now applying for Ether counterparts.

Furthermore, Bernstein's report suggests that other leading blockchain ecosystems like Solana, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Aptos, and SUI could collectively fetch a $1.4 trillion valuation.

Solana, in particular, is expected to lead in developing consumer-driven applications such as stablecoin payments and gaming.

"We expect Solana to lead the charge of fast throughput blockchains, which offer a more optimum design and user experience for more consumer driven applications i.e stablecoin payments and consumer gaming," the report reads.

Bernstein analysts also highlighted Ethereum's appeal to mainstream institutional adoption, citing its staking yield dynamics, environmentally friendly design, and the network's capacity to develop new financial markets. The report suggests that the growth of Ether yield markets could lead to fresh ETF designs that incorporate staking yields.

The report further underlines Ethereum's utility beyond merely serving as an asset for ETFs. Institutions are keen on using the Ethereum network to create more transparent and open tokenized financial markets, indicating the broad use cases the coin offers beyond asset gathering.

Ethereum's newest Dencun upgrade was highlighted for its success in reducing transaction costs by 50%-90. Bernstein projects the Ethereum ecosystem to reach a valuation of $1.8 trillion, including the Ethereum network, staking infrastructure, layer 2 chains, and Ethereum-based DeFi apps.

According to analysts at Bernstein, Bitcoin's recent $10,000 retreat from all-time highs of over $73,000 to around $63,000 presents a dip buying opportunity ahead of the upcoming halving in April.

In a note to clients, Bernstein described the current phase of consolidation in Bitcoin as temporary, which offers a chance for traders to reposition their risk before the halving event. The analysts maintain a bullish outlook on Bitcoin and the entire crypto ecosystem, viewing the next 18 months as an opportunity for growth.

Bernstein previously argued that public miner stocks are the best equity proxy to Bitcoin's price trajectory, especially as it heads towards their 2024-2025 cycle target. They also predicted a threefold surge in the overall crypto market cap to $7.5 trillion by the end of 2025.

This article first appeared in Investing.com