Tom Lee’s Bold 2025 Forecast: How Blockchain and AI Will Supercharge JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs

Wall Street's old guard is getting a tech makeover—and one top strategist says it's about to pay off big time.

Beyond the Buzzwords

Forget vague promises about "digital transformation." The real story isn't just adoption; it's about hard efficiency gains and new revenue lines. Think blockchain slashing settlement times from days to minutes or AI algorithms sniffing out market inefficiencies no human could see. That's where the value gets created.

The Institutional On-Ramp

This isn't about replacing bankers with bots. It's about arming them with better tools. JPMorgan's massive blockchain network and Goldman's deep AI research aren't science projects—they're becoming core infrastructure. They handle the colossal transaction volumes and complex risk calculations that would make a crypto-native startup's servers melt.

A Cynical Footnote from Finance

Let's be real—the biggest banks embracing disruptive tech is the ultimate hedge. They get to tout innovation to shareholders while their core business of fees and spreads remains comfortably intact. It's the best of both worlds: appearing revolutionary while staying profoundly profitable.

The bottom line? The firms that built the last century of finance are now building the rails for the next. They might move slower than a crypto meme coin, but when they pivot, the entire market feels it.

TLDR

• Tom Lee expects AI and blockchain to boost margins for JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs.
• Lee believes these banks will evolve into the next tech-driven leaders.
• A dovish Federal Reserve may increase business confidence and sector growth.
• A potential ISM manufacturing rebound could fuel stronger Bitcoin and Ethereum cycles.

In a recent CNBC interview, Fundstrat’s Tom Lee discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology could reshape the future of major financial institutions. Lee suggested that banks such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, which are already tech-forward, could become the next group of market leaders similar to the “Magnificent Seven” stocks, which include big tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google.

TOM LEE SAYS JPMORGAN AND GOLDMAN COULD BE THE NEXT MAG 7

– AI and blockchain reduce employee intensity
– Margins expand
– Valuations rerate

He says banks may start trading like tech stocks very soon pic.twitter.com/RL99pv2lk0

— Tom Lee Tracker (Not actually Tom) (@TomLeeTracker) December 25, 2025

These technologies are expected to enhance operational efficiency, reduce employee intensity, and increase margins, which would allow these financial firms to shift more in line with tech stocks. Lee’s comments reflect growing Optimism about the impact of AI and blockchain on the financial services sector.

How AI and Blockchain Could Transform Banks

Tom Lee argued that financial institutions stand to gain significantly from adopting AI and blockchain. These technologies can streamline operations and reduce the need for human intervention in many areas of banking, which could lead to cost savings and greater efficiency. According to Lee, banks with a strong focus on technology, such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, are well-positioned to benefit from these advances.

“Financial services companies are really big beneficiaries of AI, and they’re big beneficiaries of using blockchain technology,” Lee said. He emphasized that adopting these technologies could reduce the employee intensity of their business operations. This, in turn, WOULD allow these institutions to boost their margins and trade similarly to tech stocks in the future.

By adopting AI, financial firms can automate repetitive tasks, enhance decision-making, and reduce costs associated with human labor. Meanwhile, blockchain’s potential to enhance security and efficiency in transactions is also a significant factor in improving operational workflows for banks. The overall outcome could be a shift toward greater profitability for these tech-forward banks.

The Potential Impact of a Dovish Federal Reserve

Another factor Tom Lee pointed to in his CNBC interview was the possibility of a more dovish Federal Reserve. Lee expects that the Fed’s actions could help improve business confidence across various sectors. This confidence boost may drive economic growth, particularly in cyclical sectors like industrials, energy, and basic materials.

The Federal Reserve’s policies are often linked with the overall health of the financial system. Lee’s forecast suggests that if the Fed becomes more accommodative, it could create an environment where financial services and other sectors experience stronger growth. This would, in turn, be beneficial for the broader market.

Additionally, Lee noted that when the ISM manufacturing index, a key indicator of economic health, rises above 50, it tends to signal strong growth cycles for Bitcoin and Ethereum. This connection could mean that as business confidence recovers, digital assets such as Bitcoin and ethereum could experience increased upward momentum.

Lee’s Optimism for Early 2026 and Stronger-than-Usual Returns

Lee remains bullish about the outlook for financial markets, particularly for early 2026. He noted that the period between the last week of December and the beginning of January has historically seen stronger-than-usual returns. This pattern may bode well for the stock market, especially as financial institutions like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs continue to adopt cutting-edge technologies such as AI and blockchain.

As for the cryptocurrency market, Lee believes the environment in early 2026 could support growth cycles for assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum. This would coincide with the potential recovery in the manufacturing sector, creating a favorable backdrop for financial institutions leveraging new technologies.