Ethereum Price Slump: Whales Dump ETH for Other Coins amid ETF Uncertainty

As a researcher with experience in the cryptocurrency market, I have closely monitored Ethereum’s (ETH) recent price drop, which has been attributed to large investors selling off ETH for other tokens. The activities of whales, such as Machi Big Brother and others, who have dumped ETH for coins like FRIEND, have significantly impacted the market sentiment. Furthermore, Grayscale’s decision to withdraw its application for an Ethereum futures exchange-traded fund (ETF) has added fear to ETH traders, causing a drop in trading volume and a turbulent price.


As a crypto investor, I’ve noticed that Ethereum (ETH) hasn’t been performing well lately. The price took a hit and closed in the red for the past three days, with a significant drop of 7.5% so far. On Monday, the coin was priced at $3,051, but yesterday it dipped further to $2,999. This continuous downward trend in Ethereum’s value can be attributed to the selling pressure from large investors who have been offloading their ETH coins in favor of other tokens. Consequently, market sentiment has shifted negatively as a result.

Whales Shift Funds Away from Ethereum (ETH)

As a researcher studying on-chain data, I came across an intriguing discovery made by LookOnChain. They reported that a notable investor, recognized as Machi Big Brother, invested 661 ETH, equivalent to approximately $2.05 million, in purchasing another cryptocurrency called FRIEND. Previously, this whale had also shown interest in FRIEND by investing 384 ETH, or around $1.2 million, to acquire a significant amount of 423,196 units. These actions suggest that Machi Big Brother has been diversifying their portfolio and may hold a bearish view on Ethereum’s future. Another large wallet followed suit by investing in FRIEND as well. This shift from Ethereum to another cryptocurrency could be interpreted as a sign of dwindling confidence among some investors regarding the future prospects of Ethereum.

Grayscale, a well-known crypto asset manager, announced on the previous day that it was withdrawing its application for an Ether futures ETF with the SEC. This decision came just three weeks before the regulatory body was set to make a decision on this particular ETH ETF proposal.

The company’s recent decision has instilled apprehension among some ETH traders, as evidenced by the liquidation chart on Coinglass. This chart indicates concern among traders that the price of Ethereum may decline in the short term. Moreover, the trading volume of Ethereum at the time of writing has decreased by 17.34%.

Traders’ Optimism Wanes as Deadline Approaches

As a researcher, I’ve uncovered some intriguing insights regarding the shifting sentiment among traders towards an Ethereum-backed exchange-traded fund (ETF). Initially, there was a surge of optimism following the approval of Bitcoin ETFs in January, which fueled anticipation for an ETH ETF. However, recent data from Polymarket, a prediction market based in New York, paints a different picture.

Expert here: Ash Crypto, a renowned cryptocurrency trader and analyst, anticipates that the price will surge past $15,000 by the third quarter of this year based on current market trends. He draws parallels to the price movements during the last quarter of 2020. According to Ash’s analysis, if Ethereum manages to surpass its resistance level around $3,900, it could experience a significant increase in value by over 300%. This potential rise in ETH might trigger a wave of buying interest for other altcoins as investors gain renewed confidence in the market.

Despite Grayscale’s surrender prior to approval and some major investors shifting their funds to other tokens, there is speculation that a significant altcoin surge may still occur at the anticipated resistance level of $3,900. However, we must first witness a stronger price breakout beyond the current range of $2,900 to $3,100 before the market can experience a substantial rally.

As an analyst, I would put it this way: The SEC has a pivotal decision to make regarding at least one proposed Ether ETF on May 23rd. Consequently, the crypto community is keeping a keen eye on the Ethereum market in eager expectation of the outcome.

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2024-05-08 14:25