New York, June 15, 2026, 09:04 (ET)
- BitMine brought in 76,881 ETH last week, which takes its total holdings to 5.62 million ETH.
- Ether was around $1,775 on Monday as crypto markets bounced.
- Lee’s big Ethereum call is making waves, but his $250,000 target has some questioning the numbers he’s using.
Ethereum drew attention Monday after BitMine Immersion Technologies, run by Fundstrat’s Tom Lee, disclosed it bought another large batch of ETH. Lee’s upbeat Ethereum price calls made the rounds again in the crypto press. BitMine said it bought 76,881 ETH over the past week, lifting its holdings to 5,620,754 ETH. That’s now 4.66% of all ETH on the market. The company showed total crypto, cash, and other assets at $10.4 billion. “Over the past week, we acquired 76,881 ETH,” Lee said in a statement, saying BitMine has kept a “somewhat elevated pace of buying” as it sees the token’s recent dip as out of line with the fundamentals. PR Newswire
Lee’s call for Ethereum to hit $22,000 is back in the spotlight after the latest round of buying. The Motley Fool pointed to his $22,000 Ethereum target “within the next few years” and reminded readers about his upper-end prediction at $250,000. CoinDesk also kept Lee’s $22,000 ETH prediction in their coverage. OpenPR on Monday highlighted the $250,000 scenario. Ether last changed hands at $1,775. That’s about twelve times below Lee’s $22,000 call.
Bitcoin hit its highest in almost two weeks after the U.S. and Iran agreed to ease tensions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, CoinDesk said Monday. Oil dropped as traders shifted into risk. Ether gained 2.5% to $1,721 earlier. Bitcoin was last at $65,844. Crypto traders now turn to this week’s Fed decision and new projections out Wednesday.
Lee’s thesis is that Ethereum is the key layer for tokenization, stablecoins, AI-driven payments, and for companies looking to stake. BitMine said Monday it now has 4.72 million ETH staked, more than 83% of its total ETH, and expects to make about $226 million a year from staking. BitMine is also rolling out its new 9.50% Series A preferred shares, planning to list BMNP on the NYSE with trading to start June 16, tying its Ethereum holdings to public markets.
Ether at $250,000? Some on the market aren’t buying it. CoinDesk points out that Tom Lee’s target would mean Ethereum hits a $30 trillion market cap. For that to happen, ETH would need to stop tracking bitcoin, or bitcoin would have to jump way into the millions. The piece also says Ethereum’s supply has turned inflationary after the Dencun upgrade cut down on fee burning, so most of the pressure for a move this big lands on demand.
Ether has returned to focus as traders look for any signs its rebound can last after last week’s shake. BitMine is continuing to buy, putting the company in the news as watchers talk about others possibly holding Ethereum too. BitMine got nearer to its “Alchemy of 5%” goal on Monday. Lee’s $22,000 call remains pinned on more institutional interest, network activity picking up, and more stability in risk assets.
