Ethereum is Infrastructure for Wall Street: Joseph Chalom

Joseph Chalom, a former BlackRock executive and co-CEO of SharpLink, described Ethereum as the 'infrastructure for Wall Street' during a recent interview on November 11, 2025. His statement underscores Ethereum's growing role in traditional finance through the tokenization of assets and dominance in the stablecoin market. Currently, Ethereum is trading at approximately $3,430, marking a 4% daily drop, according to recent market data.

Since its inception in 2015, Ethereum has evolved into a foundational layer for decentralized finance. Its ability to support tokenized assets, stablecoins, and institutional-grade financial applications signifies its potential in reshaping traditional finance. Notably, Ethereum dominates the stablecoin market by over 80%, with billions of dollars in daily transactions enabled by digital currencies like USDC and USDT. These stablecoins offer faster and cheaper payments compared to conventional systems like SWIFT.

Tokenization is one of Ethereum’s biggest value propositions. This process enables the conversion of real-world assets, such as U.S. Treasury bonds and private credit, into digital tokens, significantly reducing settlement times from days to mere seconds. Leading financial institutions, including BlackRock and Fidelity, actively leverage Ethereum for tokenized funds. For instance, BlackRock’s BUIDL fund manages over $2.5 billion in market capitalization, including tokenized U.S. Treasuries.

Ethereum’s ecosystem benefits from partnerships with firms like Securitize, enabling seamless tokenization and integration with stablecoins. Joseph Chalom highlighted how this tokenized infrastructure allows real-time transactions, even on weekends, emphasizing Ethereum's programmability and flexibility. Chalom previously stated, 'At three in the morning on a Saturday, if you wanted to get yield bearing, Ethereum's infrastructure facilitates it.'

Ethereum gained substantial traction in 2025 due to the approval of spot Ethereum ETFs, which collectively attracted $20.84 billion in assets under management (AUM). Major issuers like BlackRock, Grayscale, Fidelity, and others led this initiative. Public companies such as SharpLink Gaming have also integrated Ethereum into their balance sheets, holding 859,853 ETH valued at $2.95 billion. Ethereum staking continues to provide steady yields for these firms, further emphasizing its utility for institutional investors.

Tokenization has extended beyond traditional finance to areas like private equity and credit funds, led by firms such as Apollo Global Management and UBS. Analysts at Citi and McKinsey predict that asset tokenization, spanning real estate, fine art, and more, could grow into a trillion-dollar market within the next decade. Ethereum’s programmable smart contracts are pivotal for enabling fractional ownership and making previously illiquid assets accessible.

As of now, Ethereum is trading at approximately $3,428.33, reflecting a 4.12% daily drop. Its market capitalization stands at around $414.01 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. Despite short-term fluctuations, Ethereum continues to solidify its position as a critical infrastructure layer for both traditional and decentralized finance.