- ETH surges 8% to $2,537 amid leadership shifts; analysts cite supply squeeze risks with reserves at decade lows.
- BTC and ETH’s dwindling exchange reserves suggest accumulation, reducing sell pressure and raising prospects for sustained price momentum.
Bitcoin’s available supply on exchanges has dropped to 7.1%, matching levels last seen in November 2018. Historical data indicates such lows often precede major price rallies. For example, after hitting similar reserves in late 2018, Bitcoin’s price surged nearly 20-fold over the following two years. ETHNews analysts suggest reduced exchange liquidity could amplify upward price pressure if demand rises.
Ethereum’s price rose 8% in 24 hours, climbing from $2,346 to $2,537. The uptick coincides with leadership changes at the Ethereum Foundation, including new Co-Executive Directors Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz K. Stańczak.
🚨 LOOK: Ethereum supply on exchanges just hit ALL-TIME LOW of 4.9% in its 10-year history, while Bitcoin's exchange supply dropped to lowest level since 2018 (7.1%)!
What happens next is simple economics:
1) 1.7M $BTC & 15.3M $ETH moved OFF exchanges in 5 years
2)… pic.twitter.com/Ji3dBEbfBV— CryptoBusy (@CryptoBusy) May 20, 2025
Technical analyst Crypto Patel highlighted a “Golden Cross” pattern on Ethereum’s daily chart—a technical signal where short-term price averages cross above long-term ones, often interpreted as bullish. Patel projects ETH could target $4,000 to $5,000 if momentum holds.
$ETH Pullback Loading: Is $1,800 the Next Big Buy Zone?#Ethereum faced rejection near the $2,500 FVG zone and is now entering a correction phase.
Price may drop into the $1,930–$2,100 FVG zone, which aligns with a strong bullish order block around $1,810.
This area is a… pic.twitter.com/tExGXoojfZ
— Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) May 17, 2025
Ethereum’s exchange reserves now stand at 4.9%, the lowest since its 2015 launch. Over the past five years, 15.3 million ETH (worth approximately $38.7 billion) have exited exchanges. These coins likely moved to long-term storage solutions, such as cold wallets or institutional custody platforms, reducing immediate sell-side pressure.
Lower exchange reserves typically signal investor accumulation, as holders transfer assets to secure storage rather than tradeable accounts. For Bitcoin, the current reserve level mirrors conditions before its 2019–2021 rally. Ethereum’s sharper decline in exchange supply—down from 20% in 2020 to 4.9%—suggests even tighter liquidity, potentially magnifying price swings.
Bitcoin (BTC) – Real-Time Price & Technical Analysis – May 20, 2025
Bitcoin is currently trading at $104,536, with a -0.91% drop in the last 24 hours, showing a moderate pullback after its recent test of local highs. Despite today’s decline, BTC has still advanced +1.37% over the past week and +24.98% in the last 30 days, reinforcing its long-term bullish structure. Over the past 12 months, BTC has gained +57.78%, confirming its dominance in the current cycle.
Technically, BTC remains in a bullish zone just below its all-time high of $109,356, reached on January 20, 2025. The asset is currently consolidating above the psychological level of $100,000, with key support at $101,800, and resistance at $106,000–$109,000.
Oscillators and moving averages on TradingView both flash “Buy” signals on the daily and weekly charts, while the monthly trend suggests a strong buy continuation, provided price remains above $102,000.
On the fundamental side, institutional activity is heating up:
- JPMorgan has announced it will begin offering BTC purchases to clients (excluding custody), a shift in policy following years of criticism from CEO Jamie Dimon.
- Strategy acquired an additional 7,390 BTC for $765M, now holding a total of 576,230 BTC (worth over $59.2B).
- El Salvador’s BTC reserves are now valued at $644M, with over 124% profit, reaffirming the country’s long-term accumulation approach.
If BTC holds above $103,000 and breaks above $106,000 with strong volume, it is projected to reach $111,500–$113,000 within 5–7 days, fueled by institutional demand, regulatory milestones, and technical momentum.
Ethereum (ETH) – Real-Time Price & Technical Analysis – May 20, 2025
Ethereum (ETH) is currently trading at $2,476.10, showing a -2.10% drop on the day, as it struggles to maintain bullish momentum above the $2,500 resistance zone. Despite this short-term weakness, ETH has still gained a robust +53.45% over the past 30 days, making it one of the best-performing large-cap altcoins recently. However, it remains -25.70% year-to-date and -19.44% in the past 6 months, reflecting a recovery in progress but not yet fully stabilized.
Technically, Ethereum is testing the lower boundary of a bullish wedge, which, if defended, could lead to a breakout back toward $2,746–$2,880 in the coming sessions. A drop below $2,400–$2,350 support could open downside risk toward $2,100, especially with the Taker Buy-Sell Ratio currently below 1 — signaling strong sell-side pressure in the derivatives market.
On the other hand, oscillators and trend indicators on the daily chart remain in neutral territory, giving ETH some breathing room for a potential rebound.
On the fundamental side, Ethereum continues to attract institutional interest. Last week alone saw $205 million in net inflows into ETH-related investment products, largely driven by confidence in the recent Pectra upgrade and changing leadership at the Ethereum Foundation.
