Mike Silagadze, CEO of ether.fi, believes that Ethereum's growth in 2026 will hinge on the rise of neobanks and user-friendly financial products. After a year of institutional interest in 2025, he sees a shift away from speculation toward services that resonate with everyday users. Ether.fi, known for its restaking platform, is pivoting to develop neobanking solutions that integrate yield generation, self-custody, and on-chain financial services. Silagadze highlighted 2025 as a significant year for Ethereum, with institutional players starting to adopt digital asset treasuries (DATs), which he claims have positively influenced Ether's price. The cryptocurrency saw fluctuations, dropping to $1,472 in April before soaring to $4,832 amid the DAT trend. Silagadze is optimistic that neobanks will drive sustained adoption of Ethereum, particularly as stablecoins become more integrated into global finance. He argues that these platforms can better facilitate user engagement with on-chain activities compared to traditional financial products like ETFs. For Ethereum to thrive, Silagadze emphasizes the need for practical use cases that extend beyond speculative applications. He advocates for developments in areas such as tokenized stocks and accessible banking services. This approach, he believes, will lead to increased user activity and a more robust financial ecosystem within Ethereum.