- Annual Ethereum Price Outlook: Ethereum is expected to experience growth in 2026 amid regulatory clarity and institutional adoption.
Ethereum needs to surpass $5000 in 2026 to break out of its four-year shadow, following a mixed 2025 that saw significant declines and new all-time highs.
The launch of corporate treasury bonds (ETH), favorable crypto policies, and inflows from exchange-traded funds (ETF) gave Ethereum the momentum it lacked for years in 2025.
Regulatory clarity, institutional adoption, and major network upgrades could serve as catalysts for Ethereum's growth in 2026.
Ethereum (ETH) lost 12% of its value in 2025, declining from $3336 at the start of the year to $2930 in the third week of December, a stark contrast to its 48% gains in 2024. However, this percentage does not reflect the significant volatility Ethereum experienced in 2025.
In Q1, Ethereum (ETH) sharply declined by 45% due to the impact of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, which nearly wiped out all its gains from 2024. While the entire crypto market was in a downtrend during that period, Ethereum's value fell more than most leading cryptocurrencies, reinforcing the idea of its weaker performance compared to Bitcoin. Hedge funds increased selling pressure by liquidating short positions based on Ethereum's price.
Nevertheless, the leading altcoin showed resilience, rebounding in Q2 after the Pectra upgrade. After stabilizing at $1385 in early April, ETH surged, ending the quarter with a 37% gain.
Unlike the past two years, which saw declines in Ethereum's price, its growth accelerated in Q3, posting a 66% gain, its best quarterly performance ever. Thanks to strong buying activity from corporations and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs), Ethereum hit an all-time high of $4956 in August, after four years.
However, Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on China resurfaced on October 10. Concurrently, a proposal from index provider MSCI to exclude corporate crypto bonds from its stock indices led to the largest single-day liquidation in crypto history, exceeding $19 billion.
Daily ETH/USDT Chart
Since then, Ethereum has remained under pressure, declining about 29% so far in Q4.
Entering 2026, the market structure shows a neutral trend, with excessive leverage already cleared. Investors expect Ethereum's price to rise above its all-time high if macroeconomic conditions improve and institutional tokenization adoption continues.

Key data: Ethereum and XRP are seeing inflows into exchange-traded funds amid continued outflows of Bitcoin.
The spot exchange-traded funds in the Ethereum market broke a seven-day streak of outflows, with inflows reaching nearly $85 million on Monday.
Investment flows have seen a noticeable recovery despite the prevailing aversion in the cryptocurrency market, indicating a potential improvement in the performance of institutional investors. Cumulative net flows reached $12.53 billion, while the value of net assets stood at $18.20 billion.
Ethereum Exchange-Traded Fund Statistics.
On the other hand, the XRP-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continued their steady cash flows, attracting nearly $44 million on Monday. Since their launch in mid-November, these funds have not experienced any cash outflows. The cumulative net cash inflows amounted to $1.12 billion, while the net asset value reached $1.25 billion.
XRP Exchange-Traded Fund Statistics.
Despite the continuous inflows of exchange-traded funds, XRP is facing a weak derivatives market, with the value of open futures contracts dropping to $3.46 billion on Tuesday from $3.54 billion the previous day. Open trading volume has remained relatively low since mid-October, indicating a lack of confidence among traders in the digital currency's ability to maintain its value.
The open interest on XRP.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds continued their streak of outflows for the third consecutive day, with nearly $142 million withdrawn on Monday. According to SoSoValue data, the cumulative net inflows reached $57.26 billion, with an average net asset of $115 billion. If the prevailing risk aversion continues, the cost pressure may exceed demand, increasing the likelihood of Bitcoin's price falling to around $80,000.
Bitcoin ETF statistics.

Altcoin Update: rise in Ethereum price as Ripple price stabilizes
Ethereum is trading above $3000 at the time of writing this report on Monday, supported by the rising Relative Strength Index on the daily chart. The Relative Strength Index appears to be on the verge of breaking into the bullish territory, a move that could enhance momentum and support the bullish trend for Ethereum.
The MACD indicator confirmed a buy signal on the same chart, as the blue line crossed above the red signal line. However, traders should be cautious in their bullish expectations, as the MACD indicator is still in the bearish zone, and the green histogram is above the steady average.
The breakout of the 50-day exponential moving average at $3195 will significantly contribute to confirming bullish expectations, and is likely to increase the chances of a sustained price rise above the resistance level resulting from the convergence of the 100-day exponential moving average and the 200-day exponential moving average around $3403.
On the other hand, failing to surpass the 50-day exponential moving average may leave Ethereum vulnerable to headwinds and increase the risk of falling below $3000.
The daily chart for the ETH/USDT pair

- Today's chart: Stability of Bitcoin price, approaching a breakout of the 90 thousand Dollar level:
Bitcoin is trading above $89,000 at the time of writing this report on Monday, supported by the upward relative strength index (RSI) at a level of 48 on the daily chart. The relative strength index itself appears to be poised for a breakout of the midpoint line at 50, which is likely to strengthen price momentum to support a breakout above $90,000.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator (MACD) shows a positive divergence, with the blue line above the red signal line on the same daily chart. If the green bars continue to expand above the average line, the path of least resistance may remain upward.
Closing the price above the 50-day exponential moving average at $93,608 will open the way for an extended breakout towards the 100-day exponential moving average at $99,239. The 200-day exponential moving average at $101,987 may limit price retracements above $100,000.
The daily chart for the BTC/USD pair
However, moving averages are generally trending downward, confirming bearish expectations. Therefore, a close below the $90,000 level could lead to another wave of selling, with support at the $83,822-$84,450 level within reach.

Data in the spotlight: Selective order on exchange-traded funds maintains inflows of XRP while BTC and ETH experience outflows.
Bitcoin continues to face a noticeable decline in institutional interest, with a decrease in demand for spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Bitcoin exchange-traded funds listed in the United States recorded outflows of approximately $158 million on Friday.
The cumulative net inflows reached $57.41 billion, while the net assets amounted to approximately $114.87 billion, according to SoSoValue data. If the outflows continue, market sentiment may deteriorate further, limiting price increases to below $100,000.
Bitcoin ETF Statistics | Source: SoSoValue
Ethereum exchange-traded funds witnessed outflows of approximately $76 million on Friday. Ethereum outflows have continued for seven consecutive days, reflecting the prevailing pessimism in the cryptocurrency market. The cumulative net inflows amounted to $12.44 billion, while the net asset value reached $18.21 billion.
Ethereum ETF Statistics | Source: SoSoValue

- Today's chart: Stability of Bitcoin price, approaching a breakout of the 90 thousand Dollar level:
Bitcoin is trading above $89,000 at the time of writing this report on Monday, supported by the upward relative strength index (RSI) at a level of 48 on the daily chart. The relative strength index itself appears to be poised for a breakout of the midpoint line at 50, which is likely to strengthen price momentum to support a breakout above $90,000.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator (MACD) shows a positive divergence, with the blue line above the red signal line on the same daily chart. If the green bars continue to expand above the average line, the path of least resistance may remain upward.
Closing the price above the 50-day exponential moving average at $93,608 will open the way for an extended breakout towards the 100-day exponential moving average at $99,239. The 200-day exponential moving average at $101,987 may limit price retracements above $100,000.
The daily chart for the BTC/USD pair
However, moving averages are generally trending downward, confirming bearish expectations. Therefore, a close below the $90,000 level could lead to another wave of selling, with support at the $83,822-$84,450 level within reach.

- Boosting liquidity may support Bitcoin's recovery
Amidst the mixed feelings of institutional investors and the intense fear among traders, the "Copysale Letter X" published on Tuesday indicates signs of optimism regarding Bitcoin.
The report clarified that the general treasury account decreased to 78 billion dollars during the past week, marking the largest liquidity injection since June, as illustrated in the chart below. The analyst noted that the general treasury account is the main cash account of the U.S. government with the Federal Reserve, and that when it decreases, funds flow directly into the financial system, enhancing liquidity.
Furthermore, the Federal Reserve is injecting $40 billion into the economy by purchasing bonds. It will reinvest $14.4 billion from mortgage-backed securities principal payments to buy Treasury bills during the same period, thereby enhancing overall liquidity.
This wave of net liquidity injection into financial markets will make borrowing cheaper and encourage a shift towards risk-taking, especially in assets like stocks and cryptocurrencies, providing short-term support.

- Dogecoin faces a decline in retail demand and waning institutional interest:
Interest in Dogecoin has dropped significantly since the sudden crash on October 10, with open interest in futures contracts decreasing by approximately 71% to $1.21 billion on Friday from $4.4 billion.
The meme coin has experienced steady growth in open trading volume, reaching $6 billion on September 14. This rise coincided with an increase in trading volume, as its price surged to $0.3068 from $0.1298 in April, confirming the role of retail markets in driving value growth. However, with a notable decline in open trading volume, it may be challenging for Dogecoin to sustain this recovery.
Open interest in Dogecoin | Source: Coin Glass
Meanwhile, institutional interest in Dogecoin ETFs( has waned. According to SoSoValue data, these funds have not recorded any cash flows since December 10, when inflows reached $172,000.
The total net inflow of funds has amounted to $205 million, with net assets of $4.96 million. There are two US-licensed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for Dogecoin), namely GDOG by Grayscale and BWOW by Bitwise.
Dogecoin ETF statistics | Source: SoSoValue

- What does the future hold for Bitcoin in 2026?
Looking ahead, the Bitcoin market is currently focused on structural changes, cash flows, macroeconomic reorganization, and clearer regulations. Here are some potential forecasts for Bitcoin in 2026.
Post-distribution phase and return of buying demand
A report from K33 Research indicates that by 2026, expectations point to a shift away from the intense distribution phase observed in 2024 and 2025, with a slowdown in long-term holder selling activity.
The report suggests that the supply of Bitcoin over a two-year period is expected to end its multi-year downtrend and close 2026 above the current level of 12.16 million Bitcoins, indicating a renewed holding behavior rather than continued redistribution among Bitcoin investors.
Sold to children aged two or older. Source: K33 Research
With nearly 20% of the total supply already reactivated over the past two years, as shown below, on-chain sell-side pressure is approaching saturation, paving the way for a return of net buy-side demand.
Percentage of total supply reactivated over the past two years, with a two-year or longer lifespan. Source: K33 Research
Thanks to deeper market liquidity, expanded institutional access, and clearer regulatory frameworks, 2026 is expected to be a post-distribution year characterized by improved supply stability and a more demand-driven market structure.