#ETHRally

closing in on its November 2021 all-time high (ATH) of approximately $4,891. As of today, ETH is trading around $4,746, putting it roughly 6.4% below that peak .

What’s Driving the Rally?

1. Whale and Institutional Accumulation

Whales are stepping in—data from Pillows shows nearly $947 million worth of ETH purchased in just the past week .

Major players like SharpLink Gaming continue to boost their holdings, recently adding over 5,200 ETH ($2.69 billion) .

Institutional interest is surging: Ethereum ETFs have been seeing record inflows—some days exceeding $500 million, and corporate treasury firms now hold around $16.4 billion worth of ETH across 64 entities .

2. Retail Caution and Sell Pressure

Retail investors appear increasingly skeptical. Exchange inflows—often a sign of selling—have spiked since late 2024, hinting at growing retail sell pressure .

Analysts note a clear divergence: whales are aggressively buying while retail traders are offloading due to fear or disbelief .

3. Positive Macro and Regulatory Tailwinds

Regulatory clarity is supporting the rally—Standard Chartered lifted its ETH year-end forecast to $7,500 and predicts a longer-term upside to $25,000 by 2028, fueled by increased stablecoin issuance on Ethereum and greater Layer-1 adoption .

Optimism around spot Ethereum ETFs has also picked up, with a regulatory environment seen as getting more favorable .

Network metrics reinforce confidence—Ethereum crossed 1.875 million daily transactions, marking a new high in network activity .

4. Market Momentum

ETH recently surged over 8% in 24 hours, holding solid above the $4,600 level .

It's now hovering near the mid-$4,600s and edging closer to its ATH .

Other outlets report ETH is within 3–9% of its ATH, highlighting the momentum building for a possible breakout .