* BitMine is preparing to roll out its own Ethereum staking solution.
* Ethereum's founders are coordinating upgrades aimed at making the network more accessible for Wall Street firms, Lee said.
* While BitMine continues to pursue its goal of owning 5% of all ETH, Lee dismissed concerns about centralization.
BitMine Co-Founder and CEO Tom Lee has revealed that the digital asset treasury (DAT) firm will be launching a staking solution "very soon."
The founder also claimed that the Ethereum founders he has spoken to are preparing to upgrade the network to "ensure Wall Street can build" on it.
Staking Launch, Says BitMine's Tom Lee
Speaking with Ark Invest's Cathie Wood on her podcast, BitMine Co-Founder Tom Lee said the company is roughly the 470th-largest U.S. company by market capitalization.
The comments come after BMNR stock rocketed from around $5 to a peak of $161, before settling in the mid-$50s as of Oct. 10, 2025, following a year-to-date surge of nearly 700%.
Once its upcoming staking solution goes live, Lee told the podcast, the company could generate a 2.79% pre-tax yield, potentially ranking among the 800 most profitable firms in the U.S.
A staking solution will allow BitMine to lock up portions of its vast Ethereum holdings to earn yield, effectively turning idle crypto assets into a steady revenue stream.
Lee noted BitMine's massive crypto treasury, which now includes 2.83 million ETH, representing 2.5% of all Ethereum.
The firm also holds 192 BTC and $456 million in cash, giving the company about $13.4 billion in combined crypto and cash reserves.
That makes BitMine the world's largest corporate holder of Ethereum and the second-largest overall crypto treasury, behind MicroStrategy.
As markets fell over the past week, BitMine acquired another 104,336 ETH worth $417 million, according to on-chain tracking data.
Ethereum Upgrades Imminent
Ethereum's founders are currently preparing upgrades that will allow major financial institutions, including Wall Street firms, to build directly on the blockchain, Lee told the podcast.
Lee said that after spending time with Ethereum developers and project leaders at Token 2049, he learned they were coordinated on implementing the necessary changes for institutional integration.
"I have gotten the clear sense spending time at Token with a lot of the Ethereum founders that they are really listening to make sure they're going to do the upgrades that allow Wall Street to build on Ethereum," Lee said.
He added that this reflects a "rejuvenation of the thinking within Ethereum" that is uniting the community and reinforcing its leadership in the blockchain space.