The second-largest currency in terms of market capitalization, Ethereum (ETH), has touched a $4,000 level for the first time in over two years. This milestone was achieved amidst BTC’s recent bull rally, which broke past the $70,000 mark and set a new all-time high. The increase in Ethereum’s price shows optimism in the crypto industry, inspired by institutional attention and expected improvements in the regulatory framework.
ETH/USD price chart (source: CoinMarketCap)
Ethereum’s Price Performance
Ethereum’s climb to the $4,000 peak is remarkable, and it denotes a robust recovery from the bear market bottoms suffered in June 2022. The do dedo asset has risen by an impressive 68% in the last month, outpacing Bitcoin’s gains in this respect.
This rise is credited to the general market euphoria fueled by the remarkable rally of Bitcoin and the anticipation related to the Ethereum network’s upcoming Dencun upgrade scheduled for March 13. With the upgrade, the scalability of layer-2 solutions is improved, which may lower transaction fees and provide a better user experience.
In addition, the high profitability of Ethereum strengthens the renewed investor confidence in Ethereum. Data from on-chain analytic platforms shows that most ETH holders are currently “in the money,” which implies a healthy holding sentiment within the Ethereum community. This is evident by significant institutional flows, for example, moving over $100 million of Ethereum to major exchanges, indicating heightened institutional interest of the asset.
Spot Ether ETFs Speculative Position
The revival of Ether’s price is partially caused by speculations about the possibility of admitting spot Ether Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) in the US. After the triumphant debut of spot Bitcoin ETFs, the crypto sector is looking forward to the decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission for such products for Ethereum.
Analysts have conflicting views regarding the probability of approval, with estimates ranging from cautious optimism to disbelief due to regulatory challenges.
With the uncertainty, the speculation of spot Ether ETFs has kicked off a speculative trading wave that is adding to the price momentum of Ethereum. The application made by industry leaders such as Fidelity and BlackRock indicates the growing appeal of do dedo currencies, in general, among traditional investment portfolios.
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