Institutional investments and strong ETF inflows are propelling Ethereum toward the $10,000 milestone

Ethereum’s recent price movement has reignited bullish sentiment among market strategists, as technical signals and blockchain metrics indicate possible upward momentum. The weekly chart for Ethereum displays a bull pennant formation, which typically points to the continuation of a prevailing uptrend after a rapid surge. This formation, marked by a period of tightening price action following a strong climb, often precedes a breakout. Should

move decisively above the pennant’s resistance line, forecasts suggest it could approach $6,750 by October, a potential increase of 45% from its current price Ethereum Price Forecast: ETH Could Rally 45% Amid Fed Rate Speculation [ 2 ]. At the same time, Ethereum’s price has stayed above the 20-day exponential moving average (EMA) around $4,450—a vital support level as traders await the Federal Reserve’s upcoming interest rate announcement Ethereum Price Forecast: ETH Could Rally 45% Amid Fed Rate Speculation [ 2 ].

Large holders have been increasing their positions, as on-chain data shows wallets with 10,000 to 100,000 ETH added a total of 820,000 ETH, worth $3.8 billion, in the last three days. This uptick in big purchases reflects rising confidence in Ethereum’s future, especially as institutional investors and corporate treasuries continue to grow their holdings.

, a publicly listed company, recently expanded its Ethereum assets by 29%, raising its total to 360,807 ETH . This move comes alongside a broader trend of institutional involvement, as seen in record inflows to Ethereum spot ETFs, which have attracted $537 million over the last four trading sessions Analysts Predict Massive Ethereum Bull Run, Targeting $10K–$16K [ 1 ].

The Fusaka upgrade, set for December 3, 2025, aims to improve Ethereum’s scalability and performance. This hard fork will introduce 12 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), including Peer Data Availability Sampling (PeerDAS), designed to lower the resource demands on nodes by enabling selective sampling of blob data. The capacity for blobs, crucial for Layer 2 rollups, will grow in two steps: initially to a 10/15 target/maximum on December 17, then to 14/21 by January 7, 2026 . The planned upgrades are expected to reduce transaction fees, stabilize costs for blobs, and boost network throughput, directly benefiting the Ethereum ecosystem. The Ethereum Foundation has dedicated $2 million for a security audit prior to launch .

Experts continue to be optimistic about Ethereum’s long-term outlook, predicting the price could reach $10,000 to $16,000. According to Ted Pillows, a well-known crypto analyst, this positive stance is driven by inflows to ETFs, institutional staking, and regulatory changes, such as the recent approval for 401(k) retirement plans to invest in cryptocurrency. He also points out that Ethereum’s reduced token supply—thanks to post-Merge token burns—could cause a supply squeeze, supporting the $10,000 price target Analysts Predict Massive Ethereum Bull Run, Targeting $10K–$16K [ 1 ]. Meanwhile, Tesseract CEO James Harris and Donald Dean agree with technical analyses, highlighting the bull pennant pattern and Federal Reserve policy as factors that could ignite a multi-month rally Ethereum Price Forecast: ETH Could Rally 45% Amid Fed Rate Speculation [ 2 ].

Although short-term swings are expected, Ethereum’s underlying market structure remains strong. The total value of altcoins, excluding

, may climb to $7–8 trillion should a breakout occur, based on projections by Dan Gambardello. He references an inverse head and shoulders pattern—a traditional technical signal of a potential reversal. However, Benjamin Cowen warns that Ethereum’s market share could temporarily drop as capital shifts to Bitcoin before a broader altcoin rally. Bitcoin’s current market dominance is 59%, down from previous highs, reflecting a change in investor preferences Analysts Predict Massive Ethereum Bull Run, Targeting $10K–$16K [ 1 ].

Both regulatory and broader economic factors are expected to significantly influence Ethereum’s short-term trends. If the Fed cuts interest rates, the U.S. dollar could weaken, increasing liquidity and potentially boosting demand for alternative assets. On the other hand, a more aggressive monetary policy might lead to a prolonged period of sideways price action. There are also concerns about selling pressure, as Ethereum’s validator exit queue currently holds 2.6 million ETH; however, co-founder Vitalik Buterin argues that these delays are crucial for maintaining network security .

As Ethereum nears major resistance at around $4,900, traders are watching key liquidation levels. If the price surpasses $4,500, it could trigger a short squeeze due to $589 million in short interest concentrated at that price point Ethereum sets December 3 launch for Fusaka upgrade with blob … [ 5 ]. In contrast, a drop to $3,359.7 would test the resolve of bullish investors. The outcome of Ethereum’s rally toward the $10,000 mark will likely be shaped by the interaction of whale accumulation, institutional demand, and regulatory shifts.