Whales switch focus to Ethereum as markets rebound – Will ETH hit $5,000 before 2025?

Ethereum (ETH) has shown signs of recovery following a sharp market downturn, with significant whale activity that saw large Ether holders have been making withdrawals from exchanges. 

After experiencing declines exceeding 15% following the Federal Reserve’s rate cut decision for 2025, Ethereum appears to be finding stability near the $3,400 level. This newfound steadiness may be attributed to investors seizing the opportunity to buy the dip, as suggested by ongoing exchange outflows. 

A downtrend in Ethereum’s exchange reserve chart highlights a consistent pattern of investors withdrawing ETH from exchanges, which signals an accumulation phase.

The altcoin’s price had plummeted by over 22.5% during the recent market turbulence, breaking through the critical $3,500 support level. However, it has since reclaimed a key position, bouncing back from the 200 Exponential Moving Average (EMA) of $3,100. Analysts suggest that the next support level to watch is around $2,850.

Surge in Ethereum market activity signals growing interest

Amid Ethereum’s current price correction, investors are now flocking the markets to buy the altcoin, with some expressing optimism that ETH will draw a path back to $4,000. Blockchain analytics platform LookOnChain reported that ten newly created wallets collectively withdrew 17,698 ETH, valued at approximately $61.66 million at the time, from Binance.

10 fresh wallets withdrew 17,698 $ETH($61.66M) from #Binance after the market rebound.

Whales buy the dip!

Address:
0xa7c8823c2d8CAF8C86F1F572Ac6902964c109bb4
0xf2500B6014dfe916B8e7706434e21B5FB2191A15
0x38b866814f278eB1b18f8E2e64612201633A8328… pic.twitter.com/jjlrbSPo86

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) December 21, 2024

Some hours before, LookOnChain revealed that four newly activated whale wallets acquired 8,440 ETH worth $28.43 million from Binance. This substantial purchase coincided with Ethereum’s price rebounding after a steep decline. 

Institutional investors’ interest in Ethereum has also surged, evidenced by market activity from public figures like Donald Trump-affiliated World Liberty Finance, which recently purchased 759 ETH worth $2.6 million at current valuations.

The bullish sentiment surrounding Ethereum is further underscored by the continued rise in staked ETH. Per IntoTheBlock data, there’s currently over 54.7 million ETH tokens staked, supported by a base of more than 206,000 unique stakers. This trend suggests long-term optimism among investors who appear committed to holding their ETH positions for the foreseeable future.

Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have also demonstrated strong performance, recording seven consecutive weeks of net inflows. Recent data reveals a record-breaking $1.6 billion in inflows in December alone.

Ethereum ETFs are booming this December, pulling in $1.66B—74% of total inflows since launch.

🚀 BlackRock's ETHA leads, hitting $292M in a day. Fidelity's FETH follows, but ETH ETFs remain highly concentrated, managing ~$11B total.

The ETF race is heating up! 🔥 #Ethereum… pic.twitter.com/QvnYix7OKN

— Sankalp Hashtalk (@HashtalkSankalp) December 20, 2024

Nate Geraci, president of The ETF Store, emphasized the significance of these developments in a December 20 post on X, stating that net inflows into ETH ETFs are “on pace with gold ETFs.” He also predicted that inflows would accelerate moving forward.

Analysts predict this uptrend may persist into 2025, particularly if robust spot ETH price performance enhances ETF returns. Furthermore, regulatory approval for ETFs to generate yields from staking could amplify their appeal.

Analysts predict a strong future for Ethereum

Despite the recent market volatility, Ethereum’s long-term projections remain optimistic. Some analysts foresee the cryptocurrency reaching as high as $8,800, while more conservative estimates, such as those from asset manager VanEck, suggest a cycle peak of $6,000. 

VanEck also projects Bitcoin’s price to hit $180,000 by 2025, indicating a strong upward trajectory for major cryptocurrencies even if Ethereum does not outperform Bitcoin in absolute terms.

Ethereum’s resurgence follows a period when it was trading near $4,000 before losing momentum. The current recovery phase demonstrates the cryptocurrency’s resilience, with whales and retail investors alike taking advantage of the price dips to accumulate ETH. 

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