Ethereum is in focus for investors today, witnessing an interesting push-pull momentum. Whale wallets, those holding between 10,000 and 100,000 ETH, have scooped up 840,000 ETH since February 4, stepping in as prices fell, as reported by FXStreet. That’s a huge amount of accumulation. Despite that, ETH’s exchange reserves have risen by 180,000 ETH over the past five days, which means more coins are flowing onto exchanges, typically a sign that people want to sell.
The Ethereum price forecast is further weighed down by US spot ETH ETFs, which saw a fourth consecutive week of net outflows totaling $161.1 million. That tells us institutional investors are still pulling money out, even if the pace has slowed. The derivatives market isn’t much more encouraging; open interest has slipped to 11.76 million ETH, and funding rates are negative, meaning more traders are betting on ETH going down than up. Over the past 24 hours, ETH saw $71 million in liquidations, with $47 million of that coming from longs being wiped out.
Nischal Shetty, Founder of WazirX explained, “Bitcoin and Ethereum experienced measured profit-taking following last weekend’s rally, with BTC trading around $68,639 after briefly surpassing $70,000, while ETH holds near $1,992, about 4-5% below recent highs. Ethereum shows relatively softer momentum than BTC, with RSI in the low-40s; a move above $2,020 could revive strength, while $1,900 remains crucial support.”
Founder WazirX added, “From a broader perspective, institutional engagement continues to strengthen. Ongoing discussions within TradFi around regulatory clarity and crypto derivatives signal deeper integration of digital assets into mainstream financial systems. Globally, policymakers are advancing frameworks around compliance and taxation, supporting long-term stability. Notably, Russia’s daily crypto turnover exceeding $650 million reinforces sustained adoption despite tighter oversight. While near-term volatility persists, long-term participation and infrastructure development remain firmly on track.”