- Ethereum soared 31% post-Pectra upgrade to $2,366, sparking $12B in ETH sell-offs as traders cashed out gains.
- ETH faces $27.8B sell pressure near $2.5K; breaking resistance requires absorbing 11.56M coins bought at higher prices.
Ethereum surged 31% in one day after its latest upgrade went live, marking the sharpest rise since late 2021. Prices climbed to $2,366, hitting a peak not seen in two months. The jump followed the activation of the Pectra upgrade, which altered market activity and sparked mixed reactions among holders.
Exchanges reported $15.6 billion in net inflows after the upgrade, with $12 billion worth of ETH sold on May 8 alone. This level of selling hasn’t occurred in over five months, hinting that many chose to cash out as prices spiked. Such moves often signal caution, as traders secure short-term gains rather than holding for higher targets.
Data tracking purchase zones shows roughly 11.56 million ETH were acquired between $2,493 and $2,915. To push past $2,500, Ethereum must absorb sell orders linked to this range, where approximately $27.8 billion in holdings await exit opportunities. This creates friction; upward moves could stall if sellers overwhelm buyers near this threshold.
Current prices hover just below $2,500, a level last tested months ago. Breaking past this point requires either sustained buying or reduced sell pressure. If ETH fails to hold above $2,344, a retreat toward $2,141 becomes plausible, wiping out portions of the recent rally.
Conversely, broader market optimism—such as Bitcoin rallying beyond $103,000—might propel Ethereum past $2,513. Securing this as support could open a path toward $2,654, shifting the tone from cautious to bullish.
The next few days will test whether recent gains reflect temporary excitement or durable demand. While upgrades often spur short-term action, lasting moves depend on balancing trader psychology with macroeconomic factors. For now, Ethereum’s path hinges on two variables: profit-taking habits and Bitcoin’s price direction. Either could tip the scales sharply in the coming weeks.
Ethereum is currently priced at $2,309.40, reflecting a 4.57% intraday increase, continuing a sharp rebound that began in April. After bottoming near $1,400, ETH has climbed nearly 80%, with notable gains of +56.82% in the past month and +25.61% this past week, marking it as one of the strongest large-cap recoveries in the crypto space.
However, it still lags on a longer-term basis, with -30.68% year-to-date performance and -26.18% over six months, suggesting the current move may still be early in a full trend reversal.
The major catalyst behind Ethereum’s renewed strength is the implementation of the Pectra upgrade, which introduced enhanced functionality including the groundwork for EIP-7702.
This proposed standard will allow externally owned accounts (wallets) to operate like smart contracts, enabling fee delegation and alternative asset-based gas payments—important for onboarding new users and enterprises.
On the technical side, ETH has broken above a multi-month resistance zone and is approaching the critical $2,500 level. This price region aligns with both psychological resistance and Fibonacci confluence. If price sustains above that range, the next likely targets are $2,770 and eventually $2,950. Current market structure is forming an ascending triangle, with the 200-day EMA acting as trailing support near $2,150.
Ethereum rolled out the #Pectra upgrade on Wednesday, its most significant overhaul since the 2022 Merge. This comprehensive update introduces 11 #Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) aimed at improving scalability, user experience, and staking efficiency.
Key Highlights:
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— Sygnum Bank (@sygnumofficial) May 9, 2025
Institutionally, Ethereum continues to be the dominant platform for RWA (real-world asset) tokenization, stablecoin issuance, and DeFi infrastructure. Sygnum Bank, among others, has reaffirmed its preference for Ethereum due to its strong security and decentralization.
