Amid the current volatility of the global crypto market, BitMine CEO Tom Lee shared a bold forecast about the industry’s potential growth. According to him, cryptocurrencies might be lagging behind as precious metals like gold and silver steal the spotlight. He believes that digital assets are poised to catch up once the current rally of metals begins to cool.
Tom Lee Predicts Crypto Market Surge After Gold and Silver Cool Off
In a CNBC interview, BitMine’s Tom Lee posited that the crypto market is currently pale due to the surge of gold and silver. He noted that investors are chasing these precious metals, leaving behind top cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Tom Lee predicted that the crypto market is likely to see a potential rally when the current rally of gold and silver fades. Citing historical patterns of a crypto market rally following a precious metal hype, he added, “As long as gold and silver keep rising, there’s a fear of missing out that pulls money away from crypto.”
Currently, the crypto market is facing increased volatility, and top assets are posting notable losses. This crash aligns with Tom Lee’s previous prediction of a “painful decline” in the crypto market in 2026. As of today, the crypto market cap has reached $2.99 trillion, marking a marginal surge of 1.1%. Bitcoin and Ethereum are still struggling to maintain momentum, trading below $90k and $3k, respectively. Tom Lee states that these assets are still caught in the October 11 crypto market crash, which “crippled many key players in the industry.”
It is worth noting that these precious metals are experiencing a remarkable hike, with gold hitting a record high of $5,100 on Monday. This marks a massive 17.5% since January 1. At the same time, silver soared to $110, boasting a significant surge of 57%. This rally, according to experts, is driven by multiple factors, including geopolitical tensions, tariff concerns, and a weaker dollar. These factors prompt traders to look for safe-haven assets like gold instead of risky assets like Bitcoin.
Further, Tom Lee noted,
“I think the precious metal move has sucked a lot of the oxygen out of the room…So, I think crypto prices aren’t quite keeping up with fundamentals, but as you know, when fundamentals go up and to the right, prices eventually follow.”
Bullish Crypto Outlook Reflected in BitMine’s Ethereum Strategy
Significantly, Tom Lee’s optimistic thoughts about the crypto market’s future are clearly evident in BitMine’s investment strategy. Despite the ETH price hovering below the critical $3k support, BitMine continues to purchase Ethereum. As CoinGape reported, the latest purchase included a 40,302 ETH buy, bringing its total crypto and cash holdings to $12.8 billion. In total, the company holds 4.2 million ETH.
Tom Lee(@fundstrat)’s #Bitmine staked another 209,504 $ETH($610M) today.
In total, #Bitmine has staked 2,218,771 $ETH($6.52B), over 52% of its total holdings.https://t.co/P684j5YQaG pic.twitter.com/TsIk5f0x6e
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 27, 2026
Moreover, Tom Lee’s Ethereum staking strategy also reflects his long-term vision for crypto. Despite Ether’s current downturn, he believes it could soon recover. As Lookonchain noted, the company staked another 209,504 tokens, valued at $610 million, today. Since BitMine launched staking, it has added 2,218,771 ETH, worth $6.52 billion, to its Ether staking portfolio. This represents a massive 52% of its total Ethereum reserve.
Source: https://coingape.com/crypto-set-to-catch-up-once-gold-and-silver-take-a-breather-tom-lee/