Bullish Sentiment Faces Community Backlash, Tom Lee Claps Back

On December 26, Tom Lee retweeted an article outlining optimistic expectations for the 2026 crypto market—only to face ridicule and criticism from some community members. One member commented, “Your words do nothing for the little reputation you’ve got left.” Lee hit back with a quip: “To gain respect from your investment portfolio *and* your kindergarten classmates, subscribe to FS Insight’s premium service.” Another member fired off: “You first pegged Ethereum’s target at $12k, then $7k—your evidence is totally unreliable. ETH might not even top $3k. You need to reflect on yourself.” Lee seemed unbothered, shooting back that the user was a “clown.” This isn’t Lee’s first run-in with backlash over bullish takes. Back in September, Andrew Kang—founder of crypto VC firm Mechanism Capital—bluntly called Lee’s ETH theory “foolish.” What’s more, a fund analyst at Lee’s firm recently issued a sharply bearish 2024 prediction that directly contradicted his own views, fueling fresh widespread criticism of him.