ETH (Ethereum) falls below $3,000, with a market capitalization of approximately $353.381 billion

Gate News Bot Message, December 24th, according to CoinMarketCap market data, as of press time, ETH (Ethereum) is currently priced at $2,927.89, down 1.16% in the past 24 hours, with a high of $3,073.35 and a low of $2,777.12. The 24-hour trading volume reached $19.497 billion. The current market capitalization is approximately $353.381 billion.

Ethereum is a decentralized open-source blockchain network and software development platform driven by the cryptocurrency Ether (ETH). As a next-generation permissionless global infrastructure for applications, the Ethereum network is open to everyone without permission requirements, built and maintained collectively by thousands of individuals, organizations, and users worldwide.

Ether (ETH) is the native cryptocurrency that powers the Ethereum network, used to pay transaction fees and secure the blockchain through staking. As an open, programmable digital currency, ETH is widely used for global payments, collateral for loans, and as a store of value independent of any central entity. The Ethereum ecosystem has over $100 billion in DeFi locked value, with an average transaction cost of only $0.00084, completing 16.15 million transactions in the past 24 hours, making it a leading platform for issuing, managing, and settling digital assets.

Recent Important News for ETH:

1️⃣ Capital inflows are stronger drivers than fundamentals, institutional players remain segmented in their deployment In the current crypto market cycle, the inflow of incremental capital has become the dominant force influencing price performance, rather than fundamental indicators. This is especially evident on Ethereum — during the recent hundred-billion-dollar inflow period, ETH rose from about $2,600 to $4,500, but after the inflow slowed, prices quickly retraced gains. As of December 23, Ethereum spot ETP recorded a net outflow of $555 million in a single week, the first negative week after four consecutive weeks of inflows, mainly due to the delay of the U.S. “Clear” legislation. However, on an annual basis, Ethereum’s cumulative capital inflow has reached $12.5 billion, far exceeding the same period last year, indicating ongoing long-term institutional demand. Meanwhile, on-chain data shows several large holders are accumulating on dips — including Liquid Capital’s Trend Research preparing to add another $100 million worth of ETH, BitMine purchased 98,852 ETH last week (worth $88 million), and major whales have accumulated about $137 million worth of Ethereum over the past week. This divergence among institutional holdings reflects both short-term risk appetite fluctuations and a deep participation outlook for the 2026 market.

2️⃣ Top investors maintain long-term bullish outlook, rotation strategies send strong signals Several well-known crypto investors continue to signal long-term optimism. Liquid Capital founder Yi Lihua explicitly states that now is the best buying zone for ETH, with a target price exceeding $10,000, and has been steadily increasing positions since escaping the top in early November. Arthur Hayes sold 1,871 ETH (worth $5.53 million) last week, while simultaneously purchasing 1.22 million ENA, 137,117 PENDLE, and 132,730 ETHFI DeFi tokens, reflecting a strategic allocation to high-quality DeFi assets. Well-known trader “Majie” Huang Licheng has been adding to long positions of 475 ETH in the $2,932 to $2,942 range, with an additional $1.4 million in new positions, bringing total holdings to $21.62 million. These active participants’ rotation and accumulation behaviors suggest that market players view the current correction as a strategic opportunity rather than a trend reversal.

3️⃣ Options expiration volume hits record high, upward volatility risks accumulate This Friday (December 27), a record volume of options will expire. About 300,000 BTC options contracts (notional value of $23.7 billion) and Ethereum options totaling $28.5 billion will expire, doubling the volume from the same period last year, accounting for over half of Deribit’s total open interest in Bitcoin. This level of options expiration, in the context of holiday market liquidity thinning, is expected to amplify market volatility. Price fluctuations and the distribution of long and short positions on the eve of expiration will directly influence ETH’s short-term trend.

4️⃣ On-chain infrastructure expansion, ecosystem application layer deepening Ethereum ecosystem infrastructure development continues to advance. About 50% of euro stablecoins are now deployed on Ethereum, reflecting the platform’s further consolidation as a multi-asset settlement layer; Curve Finance’s trading fees over the past 30 days account for 44% of total DEX fees on Ethereum, a leap from 1.6% a year ago; stablecoin trading on Ethereum shows institutionalization, with B2B transaction volume surging 156%, P2B increasing 167%, and single transaction sizes expanding, indicating rising reliance on on-chain infrastructure for large-scale commercial settlements. BTTC’s cross-chain transfer volume has surpassed $1.63 billion, with Ethereum accounting for $6.928 billion, making it an important hub for cross-chain assets. These infrastructure expansions and application developments provide microscopic support for ETH’s long-term value.

5️⃣ Enterprise-level deployment accelerates, tokenization wave drives new demand Nasdaq-listed company iPower announced a $30 million financing agreement to launch a digital asset treasury strategy, with an initial investment of $4.4 million to purchase Bitcoin and Ethereum, and 80% of subsequent funds allocated to continuous digital asset acquisitions. Fasanara Capital has purchased 6,569 ETH (worth $19.72 million) over the past two days and borrowed $13 million USDC via Morpho protocol for further accumulation. The strategic deployment and asset allocation tendencies of these listed companies indicate that the trend of integrating Ethereum into long-term financial planning is strengthening, and also reflect the commercialization of enterprise-level applications and tokenization demands.

This message is not investment advice; please be aware of market volatility risks.