Ethereum Co-Founder Sees Next Big Crypto Wave Driven by Traditional Finance and AI

Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin says the next big wave of crypto adoption is on the horizon. He attributes this to the convergence of traditional finance and AI agents using blockchain infrastructure, which he believes will push Ethereum's usage beyond its native audience for the first time.

Lubin argues that institutions are no longer testing blockchain but actively building systems on-chain due to operational needs such as around-the-clock market access, near-instant settlement, continuous liquidity, and global transferability. Tokenization is a key driver in this process, with Lubin believing it will dissolve the line between decentralized finance and traditional finance.

The second engine of growth for Ethereum, according to Lubin, is AI agents transacting on-chain. He predicts that agentic activity will expand sharply by the end of 2026, building on a phase he has called 'agentic commerce'. In this model, agents can manage portfolios, execute trades, make micropayments, and interact with smart contracts on behalf of users.

Lubin believes that blockchain's near-instant settlement is one of its most underrated value propositions. He frames the current state of crypto as being in its 'gestation, infancy, childhood, and early adolescence', building infrastructure rather than reaching mainstream adoption. According to Lubin, the industry is only now approaching real adoption.