Ethereum

JPMorgan

Shiba Inu

DRAM

Tom Lee

<ul>
 <li>Tom Lee identified Ethereum as AI’s decentralized foundation while institutional demand strengthened through ETF inflows and BitMine’s massive corporate accumulation strategy.</li>
 <li>Ethereum outperformed the DRAM sector by 55%, while Robinhood, BlackRock, and JPMorgan expanded blockchain products and financial infrastructure on the network.</li>
 <li>Lee argued autonomous AI requires Ethereum’s trusted settlement layer, while decentralized infrastructure offers stronger safeguards for digital assets and transactions.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; 
Fundstrat co-founder <a href="https://36crypto.com/tom-lee-the-strategic-chairman-behind-bitmine-and-the-future-of-bitcoin-infrastructure/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tom Lee</a> has identified Ethereum as the decentralized foundation of artificial intelligence’s next phase. <a href="https://x.com/fundstrat/status/2078119612999258446" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">According to Lee</a>, capital is gradually shifting away from semiconductor companies as Ethereum attracts stronger institutional interest and expands its role within AI-powered financial systems. 
Lee shared this view in a post on X, outlining why blockchain infrastructure could become as important as computing hardware in the development of artificial intelligence. His outlook also reflects BitMine Immersion Technologies’ strategy, where he serves as chairman and oversees one of the world’s largest corporate Ethereum holdings. 
Also Read: <a href="https://36crypto.com/ripple-secures-esma-mica-listing-as-europe-opens-door-to-xrp-payment-expansion/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ripple Secures ESMA MiCA Listing as Europe Opens Door to XRP Payment Expansion</a> 
<h2 id="strong-ethereum-gains-support-beyond-traditional-crypto-markets-strong">Ethereum Gains Support Beyond Traditional Crypto Markets</h2>
According to Lee, Ethereum has outperformed the DRAM computer memory sector by 55% over the past month, highlighting changing investor preferences. Moreover, he linked that performance to growing inflows into spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds, including BlackRock’s ETHA. 
BitMine has also reinforced that outlook through its own balance sheet. The company has accumulated approximately 5.77 million ETH, representing about 4.8% of Ethereum’s global supply. Consequently, it has become the largest corporate holder of Ethereum, underscoring rising institutional confidence in the network. 
<div class="embed-x">
 <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
 3/ Ethereum is a key AI downstream story: 
 – AI will need guardrails – Consumers unlikely to trust govts, big tech, or banks to protect consumers<a href="https://t.co/N39ACKzHjV" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://t.co/N39ACKzHjV</a> 
 — Thomas (Tom) Lee (not drummer) FundstratDirect.com (@fundstrat) <a href="https://x.com/fundstrat/status/2078119612999258446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">July 17, 2026</a> 
 </blockquote>
</div>
Additionally, Lee argued that Ethereum’s value extends beyond price performance because it provides infrastructure capable of supporting new financial technologies. As more institutions build products on public blockchains, Ethereum continues attracting both corporate capital and developer activity. 
<h2 id="strong-lee-sees-ethereum-supporting-the-next-generation-of-ai-strong">Lee Sees Ethereum Supporting the Next Generation of AI</h2>
According to Lee, autonomous <a href="https://36crypto.com/moonpay-lets-ai-agents-control-crypto-wallets-without-humans/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">AI agents</a> will require a trusted environment to execute payments, transfer assets, and settle transactions independently. Therefore, Ethereum provides a decentralized framework where machines can operate under transparent and immutable rules without depending on centralized intermediaries. 
He also argued that trust will become increasingly important as AI systems manage larger amounts of financial activity. Rather than relying on governments, banks, or major technology companies, users may prefer decentralized networks to safeguard digital assets and transaction records. 
Moreover, venture capital firm a16z has described the combination of blockchain and artificial intelligence as the “great convergence,” reinforcing the view that both technologies are evolving together instead of separately. 
Traditional finance is also expanding Ethereum’s role. Robinhood Chain settles all network fees in ETH, increasing the cryptocurrency’s practical utility. Meanwhile, BlackRock’s Ethereum-based BUIDL fund has surpassed $2.6 billion in assets. JPMorgan has also expanded its blockchain initiatives by moving products onto Ethereum’s public infrastructure while developing its tokenized MONY fund on the network. 
<h2 id="strong-conclusion-strong">Conclusion</h2>
According to Lee, retail investors may be overlooking Ethereum’s broader role in artificial intelligence and digital finance. He compared Ethereum’s current stage to Amazon’s early years, arguing that long-term technology adoption may become more significant than temporary market performance. 
Also Read: <a href="https://36crypto.com/shiba-inu-exchange-netflow-hits-38-63-billion-shib-as-selling-pressure-builds/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Shiba Inu Exchange Netflow Hits 38.63 Billion SHIB as Selling Pressure Builds</a> 
The post <a href="https://36crypto.com/tom-lee-explains-why-ethereum-is-becoming-ais-decentralized-backbone/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tom Lee Explains Why Ethereum Is Becoming AI’s Decentralized Backbone</a> appeared first on <a href="https://36crypto.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">36Crypto</a>.

Tom Lee Explains Why Ethereum Is Becoming AI’s Decentralized Backbone

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