Ethereum's 2025 Surge: Institutions Embrace ETH as Foundation Transforms
In 2025, Ethereum solidified its position as the premier blockchain network for traditional finance as institutions increasingly adopted Ethereum and its layer-2 ecosystem for tokenization and on-chain services. This surge was driven by newfound regulatory clarity, notably the GENIUS Act signed by President Donald Trump in July, which established a legal framework for stablecoin issuance and trading, easing Wall Street caution and signaling crypto legitimacy.
The Ethereum Foundation underwent a significant shift, moving away from its former ivory-tower image to deeply engage with enterprises. They expanded outreach efforts and launched major collaborations, including a new full-time AI team partnering with Google to integrate AI agents as core Ethereum users. Key Foundation figures emphasized balancing decentralized technology development with embracing enterprise partnerships.
Etherealize co-founder Vivek Raman highlighted three major trends underpinning this growth: enterprises increasingly integrating blockchains, widespread adoption of Ethereum's multi-layer network model, and this adoption occurring organically rather than through dedicated business development teams.
Notable deployments in 2025 included Coinbase-incubated Base, Fidelity's tokenization of assets on Ethereum, SWIFT, Robinhood's proprietary layer-2 build, along with participation by leading institutions such as Upbit (South Korea), Ant Group (China), IHC (Abu Dhabi), Amundi (Europe), and Bailie Gifford (UK). These entities were attracted by Ethereum's efficiency, automation, reduced counterparty risk, enhanced access to capital, and improved transparency and privacy.
Within the Foundation, a 180-degree strategic change saw the creation of new teams to engage enterprises more effectively. Plans were announced for one-day industry conferences in Zurich and New York focusing on staking and privacy respectively, aiming to further integrate large businesses into the Ethereum ecosystem.
By 2025, Ethereum had become the default network for traditional financial institutions, following leadership moves such as BlackRock's pivot towards Ethereum in 2024, cementing the blockchain's central role in the future of finance.
