Ethereum (ETH) Nears Breakout: Surging Staking Activity Could Propel Price Beyond $2,500

Ethereum's staking ecosystem hits record highs—fueling speculation of a major price rally.

With ETH hovering near $2,500, on-chain data suggests whales are positioning for the next leg up. The network now locks over 30% of circulating supply in staking contracts—a bullish signal that's got traders scrambling.

Meanwhile, traditional finance still can't decide if crypto is 'digital gold' or a 'speculative bubble'—classic hedge fund indecision.

Key levels to watch: A clean break above $2,600 could trigger FOMO buying, while the staking yield remains the honey pot for institutional capital. The merge upgrade's aftermath continues to pay dividends—literally.

TLDR

• ETH currently trades at $2,511, down 9.4% from last week’s $2,800+ rally
• Technical analysis shows 50-week EMA resistance could trigger 25-135% price gains if broken
• Staking reached all-time high with over 35 million ETH locked, reducing circulating supply
• Accumulation addresses holding 22.8 million ETH hit record levels, showing long-term investor conviction
• Spot ETH ETFs recorded 19 consecutive days of inflows totaling $1.37 billion

Ethereum has pulled back from recent highs as the cryptocurrency trades at $2,511 following a retreat from above $2,800 last week. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap has declined 9.4% over the past seven days.

The current price action reflects broader consolidation across digital asset markets. ethereum faces technical resistance levels that could determine its next major price move.

Technical analyst İbrahim COŞAR from CryptoQuant highlights the importance of the 50-week exponential moving average as a key resistance level for ETH. Historical data shows that successful breakouts above this technical marker have led to substantial price increases.

Previous cycles demonstrate that once ETH crossed above the 50-week EMA, price gains ranged from 25% to 135%. Based on these historical patterns, a breakout could push Ethereum toward the $4,000 range.

The 50-week EMA is a trend-following indicator that gives more weight to recent price movements. Traders commonly use this metric to identify potential breakout zones.

On-Chain Metrics Show Growing Network Participation

Ethereum’s staking metrics continue showing steady growth despite recent price weakness. More than 500,000 ETH were staked in the first half of June alone.

Ethereum Hits ATH in Staking: Over 35 Million ETH Locked

“Alongside this, Accumulation Addresses (holders with no history of selling) have also reached an all-time high, now holding 22.8 million ETH.” – By @onchainschool

Read more ⤵️https://t.co/WYoX9qpODZ pic.twitter.com/6MAlK0sCfJ

— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) June 17, 2025

The total staked ETH has reached over 35 million tokens. This represents the highest amount ever locked in Ethereum’s proof-of-stake contract.

Staking involves locking ETH to help secure the network and validate transactions. Participants receive staking rewards in return for their contribution to network security.

As more ETH gets staked, the liquid circulating supply decreases. This could potentially tighten available supply on exchanges over time.

Accumulation addresses have also reached all-time highs. These wallets, which have no history of selling, now hold 22.8 million ETH.

The combination of increased staking and accumulation suggests long-term holding behavior rather than speculative trading activity.

Market Dynamics and Institutional Interest

Crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe from MN Trading Capital notes that market interest is shifting from Bitcoin to Ethereum. He cites recent analysis suggesting the crypto market is entering an “Ethereum” phase.

However, van de Poppe acknowledges that many investors remain cautious due to previous market downturns. He describes this as “bear market PTSD” preventing recognition of improving conditions.

Ether has gained 71% since reaching its April low of $1,472. Despite this recovery, ETH remains 48% below its November 2021 all-time high of $4,878.

The ETH/BTC ratio shows mixed signals. While up 0.33% over the past 30 days, it remains down 32.32% over six months at 0.024.

$ETH / $BTC: As you told you many times, this is the most important chart to look at.

We need to see some strength before we can see the big reversal. pic.twitter.com/147E1VpfTQ

— crypto Fella (@CryptoFellaTx) June 18, 2025

US-based spot Ether ETFs have shown promising performance recently. These products recorded their longest-ever inflow streak at 19 consecutive days.

Total inflows reached $1.37 billion, representing approximately 35% of all inflows since the ETFs launched in July 2024.

SharpLink Gaming, a Nasdaq-listed company, recently announced a $425 million Ethereum reserve strategy. The initiative is led by ConsenSys, a major Ethereum development company.

Van de Poppe emphasizes that sustained altcoin season depends on Ethereum showing continued strength. He notes that markets are becoming increasingly complex as they evolve.

Ether futures premium briefly turned bearish when ETH dropped 15% to $2,440, wiping out $277 million in Leveraged positions. The premium has since recovered to neutral levels around 5%, suggesting renewed trader confidence in the $2,400 support level.