- Tom Lee believes crypto could become a major beneficiary of the artificial intelligence investment boom.
- He highlighted tokenized assets and blockchain infrastructure as key drivers of future crypto adoption.
- Lee said Bitmine continues accumulating Ethereum while viewing the market as an early-stage “crypto spring.”
Fundstrat Chairman Tom Lee said crypto could become one of the biggest follow-on beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence boom, even as the sector faces a challenging 2026. Speaking on CNBC, Lee compared crypto’s current position to memory stocks before their sharp rally and said investors may view the market differently within the next 12 months. He made the remarks while discussing tokenization, blockchain adoption, and changing financial habits among younger users.
Lee Compares Crypto To Memory Stocks
According to CNBC, Tom Lee said crypto is receiving little attention despite ongoing development across the industry. He compared the sector to memory stocks, which he said struggled through 2024 and 2025 before posting strong gains in 2026.
Lee said many investors currently find it easier to buy AI-related stocks than crypto assets. However, he argued that crypto could eventually benefit from the same investment themes driving artificial intelligence.
“In 12 months, we’re going to say crypto was a downstream story of AI,” Lee said during the interview. He added that memory stocks were once viewed as a lagging trade before their performance accelerated.
While discussing market sentiment, Lee acknowledged that 2026 has been disappointing for many crypto investors. Even so, he said the underlying progress across the industry remains intact.
Tokenized Assets Remain A Key Focus
Lee also pointed to the growing use of tokenized financial products. He said younger consumers increasingly use mobile applications for banking and could eventually trade stocks through crypto-based platforms.
According to Lee, tokenized stocks and other digital assets are becoming more common across financial markets. He also referenced recent weekend oil trading activity that operated through crypto rails.
The Fundstrat chairman said blockchain infrastructure offers continuous trading, settlement finality, and composability. He described composability as a feature that turns financial assets into software-based products.
Lee added that the transition is happening gradually. However, he said adoption could accelerate as more assets move onto blockchain networks.
Bitmine Continues Ethereum Accumulation
Separately, Bitmine Immersion Technologies reported crypto, cash, securities, and “moonshots” holdings totaling $10.7 billion. The company also disclosed that it acquired 52,203 ETH during the past week.
Lee, who serves as chairman, said Bitmine has maintained a steady pace of crypto accumulation throughout 2026. He added that the company views the market as being in the early stages of a “crypto spring.”
According to Lee, tokenization and advances in artificial intelligence could increase demand for blockchain networks and decentralized crypto infrastructure in the years ahead.
