TL;DR

• Analysts and traders on X believe Ethereum could extend its recent gains, citing technical patterns and growing network activity as signs of an upcoming rally.
• Despite optimism, Ethereum’s rising RSI, positive exchange netflows, and weak ETF inflows hint at mounting short-term selling pressure and hesitation from investors.

What Does the Future Hold?

Ethereum (ETH) has witnessed evident progress in the past week, with its price rising by roughly 10%. It briefly surpassed $1,800 on April 23 before retracing to the current $1,750.

Some market observers think the asset has yet to unleash its full potential, envisioning high targets for the near future. The X user Ted noted Ethereum’s active addresses have increased by 10% in the span of 48 hours. Having that said, he assumed that ETH could be gearing up for an “epic revenge rally.”

The crypto trader, using the X moniker Christiaan, also weighed in. He explored the recent price fluctuations of the asset to suggest that the price may soon soar beyond $2,000. 

Gert van Lagen is among the biggest optimists. The technical analyst claimed that “a huge 4-year inverse head and should” is in play, meaning that the next move could be a gigantic surge to a new peak of approximately $20,000. 

“Loads of retail have been shaken out the Right Shoulder,” he added.

Exploring Some Indicators

Contrary to the bullish predictions mentioned above, certain metrics signal that the second-largest cryptocurrency might be poised for a pullback.

ETH’s exchange netflow, for instance, has been positive in the past month. This reflects a shift toward centralized trading platforms, which can result in increased selling activity in the short term.

We’re moving on to the recent net inflows into spot ETH ETFs. Data compiled by SoSoValue shows that the figure has rarely been above zero in the last couple of weeks. A substantial green candle was observed on April 22, but on many other occasions, the inflows were negative. In simpler words, this means more money was withdrawn from the ETFs than added, signaling uncertainty among institutional investors. 

Lastly, let’s examine ETH’s Relative Strength Index (RSI). The metric measures the speed and magnitude of the latest price changes and helps traders assess point reversals. A ratio above 70 is considered bearish, suggesting ETH has entered overbought territory and could be headed for a correction. Earlier today (April 24), the RSI was hovering above that zone, currently set at around 65.

After a worrying start to the month, Ethereum finally showed signs of recovery as April progressed. The altcoin climbed to nearly $1,830 a few days ago before facing a small correction.

In the backdrop of this uptrend, the Ethereum network fundamentals appear to be heating up.

Active Addresses Surge

CryptoQuant’s latest analysis stated that Ethereum’s active addresses increased from 306,211 to 336,366 within just two days, an almost 10% jump. This surge, coupled with a rise in the price of Ether, indicated heightened network activity and growing interest in the blockchain.

This recent uptick is seen as a positive indicator for Ethereum, especially given its role as the foundation for many major blockchain projects. With Ether being a cornerstone of the broader altcoin ecosystem, any significant price movement in ETH is likely to influence the entire market.

As Ethereum continues to grow, the momentum may spark further growth across decentralized applications and projects built on the network.

“Final thought: Since Ether is the most important token in the Altcoin ecosystem, what would happen if its price explodes? The answer: very likely, the entire ecosystem would move with it.”

Institutional Offloading of Ethereum

With regards to Ethereum’s cost basis distribution, there is a significant concentration of supply around the price level of $1,895, where approximately 1.64 million ETH is held. This concentration indicates a key overhead resistance point, as many holders at this price level were last active in November 2024, during the crypto asset’s rally.

At that time, these investors purchased ETH, driving their cost basis higher. This suggests that as ETH approached this price range earlier this week, it faced selling pressure from these holders who sought to break even or secure profits.

As selling pressure mounts around this price level, it coincides with a broader trend of institutional offloading. For instance, Galaxy Digital transferred 65,600 ETH, worth $105.5 million, to Binance, which was a noticeable decline in its Ether holdings from about 98,000 ETH in February to 68,000 ETH, as tracked by Arkham.

Ethereum funds also faced significant outflows. Meanwhile, CoinShares reported $26.7 million in outflows last week, which pushed the total outflows to $772 million over the last two months. Despite these outflows, the altcoin has seen positive net inflows of $215 million year-to-date.

Galaxy Digital is not the only entity that has cut its Ether position. In fact, Paradigm has also reduced its exposure, as it transferred 5,500 ETH ($8.66 million) to Anchorage Digital on April 22nd.

Ethereum has started the week with a strong push from support levels, catching short sellers off guard and sparking a fresh round of bullish momentum.

The recent breakout is showing signs of strength, but key resistance levels still lie ahead.

Technical Analysis

By Edris Derakhshi

The Daily Chart

ETH’s daily structure remains bearish overall, with prices still trading well below the 200-day moving average, which is located around the $2,800 mark. However, buyers have stepped in at the critical $1,550–$1,600 support zone, leading to a clean rebound toward the $1,800 level.

This marks a short-term break in the bearish sequence, and if buyers manage to hold this momentum, the next hurdle sits around $1,950–$2,000. A potential breakout above this level will show if this recovery is serious or not.

The 4-Hour Chart

On the 4H chart, ETH broke out of a clear ascending triangle pattern, confirming a bullish breakout above the $1,700 mark. This structure had been forming for the last couple of weeks, and the breakout occurred on strong bullish candles, adding confidence to the move.

The asset quickly extended toward $1,800 after clearing the higher boundary of the pattern. The immediate resistance zone is now between $1,800 and $1,950, where past breakdowns have occurred. If ETH holds above $1,700, any dip may act as a retest and offer long opportunities, but failure to maintain above this level could trap late longs.

Sentiment Analysis

By Edris Derakhshi (TradingRage)

Taker Buy Sell Ratio

The Coinbase Premium Gap has flipped positive for the first time in weeks, indicating renewed buying interest from U.S.-based institutions. This shift is a subtle but encouraging signal that spot demand is returning. Moreover, the pattern of smaller red bars and the latest green bar spike on the chart shows reduced sell pressure, which aligns with the price rebound.

If this trend continues, it may support higher prices in the near term. However, a sustained premium will be needed to validate institutional interest and support further upside momentum.