Garrett Jin bullish on Ethereum: Why is $3,000 the key institutional accumulation level?

Ethereum’s recent price fluctuations are significant. According to Gate market data, on January 19th, Ethereum’s price dropped to $3,201.89, a 24-hour decline of 3.71%. Amidst the price volatility, market focal figure and “BTC OG insider whale” agent Garrett Jin publicly expressed his views, clearly positioning around $3,000 as the “ideal zone” for enterprises and institutions to establish Ethereum positions.

Controversial Figures and Core Arguments

Garrett Jin’s reputation in the crypto community is complex and controversial. He has served as operations head for several well-known trading platforms, reaching his market influence peak in late 2025 due to a series of precise on-chain maneuvers. A mysterious whale account associated with him is known for executing accurate large-scale short positions before major political events, earning it the market nickname “1011 Insider Bro.”

Regardless of his sources, his market insights are hard to ignore. Recently, he has turned his focus to Ethereum.

New Logic for Corporate Asset Allocation

Jin’s core argument is: for enterprises or institutions, buying Ethereum around $3,000 and staking simultaneously constitutes a “naturally protected” asset allocation strategy. He did some calculations: assuming an annualized staking yield of about 3%, if Ethereum’s price rises to $9,000 in the future, the dollar-denominated annualized return from staking would jump to approximately 9%.

This yield is highly attractive to companies seeking to optimize their balance sheets and pursue steady returns. Even if prices decline in the short term, long-term staking yields can gradually offset paper losses measured in fiat currency.

Comparing to High-Growth Narratives of AI Stocks

Garrett Jin further compares Ethereum’s current positioning to high P/E AI tech stocks with continued capital inflows.

He believes Ethereum’s smart contracts provide a programmable and secure environment for AI-driven trading and automated customer interactions. Its DeFi and AI ecosystem integration reflects the core features of “high-tech and growth-oriented.” This is more like a “valuation race against time.” For institutional funds, the later they enter, the more potential risks and less attractive risk-reward ratios may become.

Market Data and Institutional Behavior Confirmation

Jin’s views are not isolated; they reflect some institutional capital trends. Data shows that by mid-January, over 36 million ETH have been staked on the Beacon Chain, accounting for about 30% of its supply. A large amount of ETH is locked in staking, directly reducing circulating supply and providing fundamental supply-demand support. Meanwhile, listed companies like BitMine explicitly regard ETH as their “asset-liability optimizer.”

According to Gate market data, Ethereum’s price has experienced recent fluctuations, with the current price at $3,201.89 on January 19th.

Market Outlook Based on Gate Data

Gate’s long-term forecast model offers another perspective. The model predicts that the average price of Ethereum in 2026 could be around $3,200. Looking further ahead, the model shows an estimated average price of about $3,500 in 2027, and possibly reaching around $5,800 by 2030.

These predictions, based on historical data and market sentiment, depict a long-term growth framework. Although short-term prices fluctuate due to market sentiment, macroeconomic factors, and other influences, continuous institutional entry and ecosystem expansion are building a different long-term narrative beyond mere short-term trading.

Ethereum’s Dual Attributes and Future

Garrett Jin’s perspective reveals a trend: in the eyes of some institutions, Ethereum is shifting from a highly volatile speculative asset to a hybrid asset with both “high dividend” and “high-tech growth” attributes. Its staking yield of around 3% offers attractive cash flow in a low-interest-rate global environment. Its role as a smart contract platform and ecosystem expansion into frontier areas like DeFi and AI provide enormous growth potential.

The proliferation of artificial intelligence could even trigger a long-term deflationary cycle, further emphasizing Ethereum’s value as a “digital bond” capable of generating returns.

As Ethereum’s price retraces below $3,200, another set of data is quietly accumulating: over 36 million ETH, or 30% of the total supply, has been locked in staking contracts long-term. Public market information shows that listed company BitMine is executing a $200 million investment plan related to Ethereum companies to strengthen its market position. The number of daily active addresses on the Ethereum network remains in the millions, and developer activity consistently ranks first among mainstream blockchain networks. The short-term fluctuations on price charts, combined with the ongoing accumulation of long-term staked chips on-chain and active ecosystem development, constitute the current dual reality of the Ethereum market.