Ethereum’s recent spike in margin lending ratio, rising from 38 to 72, reflected a strong wave of borrowing. Many analysts viewed this jump as a potential warning of forced deleveraging, which could bring its price lower.
Historically, similar spikes have led to bearish market continuations until the margin ratio reset to lower levels. Ethereum’s recent performance did not yet signal a rebound, as it tested its 2016 highs against Bitcoin with no significant breakout.
Ethereum Continues to Underperform Against Bitcoin
In the ETH/BTC pair, Ethereum showed brief positive movement, but analysts still wanted to see it rise above 0.0385 BTC. The price recently fell below the high-timeframe support level, where it had been consolidating.
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ETH’s dominance chart reflected a challenging period, with a recent breakdown in support indicating possible further bearish pressure. Some investors shifted to assets like Solana, questioning Ethereum’s potential to outperform Bitcoin in the long term.
Long-term comparisons of Ethereum and Bitcoin performance have revealed notable disparities. Investors who entered Ethereum in its early days still witnessed no significant gains against Bitcoin, the more stable asset.
Although Ethereum’s market cap stands at $305 billion compared to Bitcoin’s $1.35 trillion, the latter has consistently maintained lower volatility, making it attractive to traditional finance investors.
Many in the crypto space invest in alts with hopes of converting gains to Bitcoin. However, the recent trend suggests this strategy might be losing effectiveness.
Whales Giving Up on ETH
This year, several Ethereum whales, including one prominent investor holding ETH for over ten months, sold off their holdings.
This particular whale deposited 8,982 ETH worth around $22.93 Million to OKX, capturing only $3 Million in gains instead of the potential $16 Million had they sold in March.
This behavior reflected a broader trend of profit-taking among Ethereum’s large holders, which further contributed to bearish sentiment.
Weekly Outlook Sparks Hope
Despite these challenges, Ethereum’s accumulation wallets increased by 65% this year, suggesting that new investors entered the market and held their positions.
Many investors anticipated the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator on the weekly chart to turn positive, hinting that momentum could soon shift upward.
Although Ethereum’s short-term trend appeared uncertain, some analysts expected that the network’s long-term prospects could improve.
The market dynamics have significantly changed recently, driven by the success of the Bitcoin ETF and the comparative underperformance of Ethereum’s ETF.
Traditional finance players have prioritized Bitcoin, with its potential for stable returns over five to ten years. This shift has placed Ethereum in a more challenging position, as these traditional investors seem more inclined toward Bitcoin over Ethereum.
Ethereum’s price faced significant resistance as bearish factors continued to weigh on it. The heightened margin lending ratio, whale sell-offs, and falling ETH dominance indicated possible downside risks in the short term.
However, with increased accumulation among smaller holders and potential support from technical indicators, Ethereum could find support and potentially stabilize. Still, many investors have grown cautious, opting to watch how these developments unfold in the coming months.
