Quinlivan said Ethereum network growth has accelerated, and he linked that activity to rising interest in staking. He explained that staking has become a frequent topic across social channels. He further added that Santiment tracked discussion around staking yields and validator participation, even as Ether traded below its 2025 peak.
Market participants have also started to price higher ETH outcomes for 2026. On Polymarket, traders priced a 41% chance that Ether reaches $5,000 in 2026. They priced a 22% chance for $6,000.
The market priced a 7% chance for $10,000 before 2027. On Kalshi, ‘above $4,250’ carried 61% odds, while ‘above $4,500’ traded near 49%.
Technical analysts have outlined nearby zones that could shape the next leg. A NewsBTC report cited an inverted monthly chart from Egrag Crypto. It flagged $3,800 to $4,500 as the first resistance band.