While Bitcoin grabs the headlines, Ethereum (ETH) is cooking up a technical move that has "whales" and institutions on high alert. After a brief stumble trying to consolidate above $3,000, the second largest cryptocurrency in the world seems to be gaining momentum for a jump that could take it to levels not seen in months.
What is really happening "under the hood" of Vitalik Buterin's network? Here we summarize it for you straightforwardly.
The "Supply Shock" is Real
The metric that excites analysts today is not the price, but the staking. Currently, almost 30% of the total supply of ETH (about 35.9 million coins) is locked in the network.
Key data: The "entry queue" for new validators has a wait of 44 days, the highest level since 2023.
Translation for the investor: There are many more people wanting to "store" their ETH to earn interest than there are people wanting to withdraw them to sell. When supply decreases and demand remains, the price only has one likely path: upward.
Goodbye to Sell Pressure
For the first time in months, the validator exit queue has fallen to zero. This means that the sell-off by large nodes has completely stopped. Investors have shifted from a defensive posture to one of "accumulation and waiting", creating a very solid floor near the psychological zone of $3,000.
The Goal: Where are we headed?
Despite the current volatility (with ETH hovering around $3,020 - $3,200), projection models for this first quarter of 2026 suggest:
Bullish Scenario: A clear break of the resistance at $3,350 would trigger massive buying towards **$3,700** (an approximate increase of 20%).
Institutional Backing: Ethereum ETFs continue to absorb liquidity, and giants like Standard Chartered maintain their bets that this will be the "year of the strong structure" for ETH.
Ethereum is undergoing a "defining phase". Although the short term may seem uncomfortable, the fundamentals (record staking and low liquid supply) suggest we are in a compressed spring.
And you, Binancians? 🚀 Do you think ETH will break $3,350 this week or will we retest support? I’m reading your comments below!
#ETH #EthereumRally #CryptoAnalysis #Altcoins2026
