Ether.fi CEO Mike Silagadze believes Ethereum’s next growth phase relies heavily on consumer-friendly financial products.
Consequently, he suggests that 2026 will be defined less by speculation & more by practical utility. Notably, Silagadze shared these insights ahead of his appearance at CoinDesk’s Consensus Hong Kong conference. Currently, the industry is witnessing a significant pivot towards crypto-native neobanking solutions.
Originally, Ether.fi was best known for its innovative restaking platform on the Ethereum network. However, the company has recently expanded its focus towards building comprehensive crypto-native neobanking products. These new offerings aim to combine high yield, self-custody, & seamless on-chain financial services. Therefore, this strategic shift highlights a broader trend of merging traditional finance with crypto innovation.
Reflecting on the past year, Silagadze described 2025 as a pivotal turning point for Ethereum. Specifically, a massive wave of institutional onboarding marked the network’s trajectory throughout the year. While staking remains limited within ETFs, other vehicles like digital asset treasuries have moved faster. “A bunch of them have already started deploying into Ether.fi,” he noted regarding early adopters.
Interestingly, these digital asset treasuries certainly had a positive impact on the price of Ether. For context, Ether hit its lowest point in April 2025 at approximately $1,472. However, during the height of the treasury trend, the asset shot up to $4,832. Thus, institutional capital has proven to be a major catalyst for recent market valuations.
Looking forward, Silagadze’s excitement for 2026 centres on the maturation of Ethereum’s financial ecosystem. He observes that the crypto neobank movement appears to be a rapidly growing trend globally. In his view, these platforms represent one of the clearest paths to sustained mass adoption. Furthermore, stablecoins are becoming more deeply embedded in global finance, aiding this transition.
Ultimately, the CEO believes Ethereum’s success depends on delivering practical utility at scale. He argues that adoption will come from these neobank-type players rather than just ETFs. This means focusing on real-world use cases like tokenised stocks & accessible banking services. Finally, the industry must move beyond an overemphasis on gambling-driven applications to ensure longevity.
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