Whales added $3.8B in ETH while retail sold off
ETH ETFs saw $530M inflows in one week
Wall Street eyes DeFi as Trump and Lubin push ETH forward
Wall Street and whales drive Ethereum surge as ETFs hit $530M inflows, staking grows and retail sells off. DeFi, Lubin and Trump-linked funds push ETH back into institutional spotlight.
WHALES, ETFs and DEFI: ETHEREUM’S MOMENTUM RESURGES
Ethereum is showing signs of a major comeback as whale accumulation, record ETF inflows and renewed institutional optimism converge. At the center of this storm is a growing belief that Ethereum is not just a tech platform, but a financial asset poised to dominate.
The data tells a story of deep-pocketed players entering the market in force. In the past 30 days alone, wallets holding between 1,000 and 100,000 ETH – commonly referred to as whales and sharks – have added a staggering 1.49 million ETH, worth $3.79 billion, according to Santiment. This represents a 3.72% increase in holdings, taking their collective share to 27% of the total Ethereum supply.
Meanwhile, retail investors appear to be cashing out, underscoring a redistribution of ETH from weak hands to strong hands.
ETF INFLOWS HIT RECORD HIGHS
One of the clearest signs of growing institutional trust in Ethereum comes from the spot ETF market. U.S.-based Ether products recently saw a 19-day inflow streak, culminating in a $1.37 billion injection, mostly into BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA).
Just last week alone, ETH ETFs attracted over $530 million, a fivefold increase compared to their usual weekly average. June 11 stood out with a single-day inflow of 77,000 ETH worth around $195 million. The momentum is clear, and the implications are significant.
According to Glassnode, these numbers reflect an “outperformance” compared to Bitcoin ETFs, especially as Ethereum’s utility in DeFi, staking and programmable smart contracts gives it broader yield-generating potential. With ETH staking hitting a record 34.6 million ETH locked, nearly 28% of the entire supply, investors are starting to view Ethereum as both a speculative and yield-bearing asset.
TRUMP MEDIA, WALL STREET AND THE DEFI PIVOT
Amid the Ethereum surge, Trump Media announced it has filed for a Truth Social Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF, planning to allocate 75% to Bitcoin and 25% to Ethereum. Crypto.com will act as the ETF’s custodian and liquidity provider, while Yorkville America Digital is listed as the sponsor.
The move reflects a broader political and financial pivot. According to Joseph Lubin, Ethereum co-founder and Consensys CEO, Wall Street will “go deep” into DeFi and Ethereum, driven by rising institutional appetite and shifting U.S. regulatory sentiment.
Lubin credits the change to the Trump administration’s more favorable stance on crypto, noting that builders are no longer “debanked” or threatened by politically motivated SEC crackdowns under Gensler’s regime.
“The best and brightest builders are now entering the ecosystem,” Lubin said. “They will be motivated to understand the strategies behind Ethereum and Bitcoin. This is just the beginning.”
TECHNICAL INDICATORS POINT TO BREAKOUT POTENTIAL
Ethereum is currently trading at $2,575, up 1.5% in the last 24 hours and showing signs of building strength. Spot trading volume is up 32%, while futures volume rose 26.46% to $53.09 billion. Open interest in ETH futures is sitting at $35.13 billion, suggesting more traders are betting on a larger move.
Bollinger Bands are narrowing, hinting at a breakout. If ETH pushes above $2,600 with volume confirmation, the next resistance zone lies at $2,870, potentially opening the door to $3,000. On the flip side, a failure to hold support might result in a retest of the $2,400 level.
Despite its rebound, ETH is still down nearly 48% from its all-time high, showing room for upside. Technical indicators like MACD and RSI suggest a bottoming pattern may be forming, reinforcing the bullish tilt.
SHARPLINK, RETAIL MISUNDERSTANDING AND TREASURY MISSTEPS
Not all headlines have been smooth. Sports betting firm SharpLink Gaming, which had previously announced plans to use up to $1 billion for an Ethereum-based treasury, saw its stock nosedive 73% after filing to register more shares for potential resale. Market watchers misunderstood the filing, according to Joseph Lubin, who also chairs SharpLink.
Despite the hiccup, the firm’s intent to accumulate ETH highlights a rising trend: corporates treating Ethereum not just as software, but as a treasury asset.
OUTLOOK: ETHEREUM’S INSTITUTIONAL FUTURE LOOKS SOLID
With Trump Media, BlackRock and now Pakistan (under Michael Saylor’s advisory) all embracing crypto, Ethereum’s role is clearly expanding. Whether it’s a tool for DeFi builders, a yield asset for institutions, or a macro hedge for nation-states, the narrative is evolving fast.
Ethereum’s programmable nature, staking rewards and DeFi integration set it apart from Bitcoin. And with key players from both Wall Street and politics backing it, the asset is no longer speculative fringe – it’s becoming financial infrastructure.
As institutional capital continues to flood in and technical signals align, the Ethereum market appears poised for an inflection point. Whether this marks the start of a new bull run or a prolonged accumulation phase, one thing is clear – Ethereum is on Wall Street’s radar, and it’s not leaving anytime soon.
〈Wall Street and Whales Drive Ethereum Surge〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。
