[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong] Bitmine Immersion Technologies Chairman Tom Lee (톰 리) declared the end of a “mini crypto winter” as he amassed a large amount of Ethereum (ETH).

Cointelegraph reported on March 24 that Lee has accelerated ETH purchases over the past three weeks. He said the company added about 65,341 ETH, worth about $139 million, last week alone. That far exceeds the prior weekly average purchase volume of 45,000 to 50,000 ETH.

Bitmine's total ETH holdings have risen to about 4.66 million, accounting for about 3.86 percent of total supply. The company aims to ultimately secure 5 percent of total supply. It would need to buy about 1.4 million more ETH to reach that goal.

Lee highlighted the possibility of further strength in Ethereum, citing recent market trends. He said ETH rose about 18 percent despite Iran-related geopolitical tensions and delivered 2,450 basis points of excess returns over stocks. By contrast, he said gold, a traditional safe-haven asset, fell more than 15 percent, underscoring that cryptocurrencies are emerging as a new "store of value during war."

He also cited the regulatory environment as a positive factor. He pointed to the Clarity Act under discussion in the U.S. Congress and said the market sees the chances of passage within the year in the high 60 percent range. He said that could provide additional upside momentum for Ethereum.

Bitmine holds various assets beyond Ethereum. It currently holds 196 BTC and about $1.1 billion in cash, as well as a stake in Beast Industries worth about $200 million and a stake in AITCO Holdings worth about $95 million, among other assets, bringing total assets to about $11 billion.

Market volatility remains a factor. Ethereum's price rose in the short term after President Donald Trump deferred an attack on Iranian energy infrastructure, but there is also a possibility that geopolitical uncertainty will persist due to Iran's backlash.

Lee's remarks are interpreted as a strategy of betting pre-emptively by viewing the current market as a "final correction phase." With geopolitical factors and market volatility still in play, an assessment has emerged that whether the crypto winter has truly ended will depend on how things develop.