Rising crypto token value capture may fuel 2026 rebound: Bitwise CIO

Ethereum's price is currently facing significant downward pressure, with bearish candles indicating a potential for further correction towards key lower support levels. This trend follows a recent decline below the $2,700 mark, raising concerns about the cryptocurrency's stability and market position.

BitMine has acquired an additional 21,537 Ethereum tokens for approximately $60 million, increasing its holdings to over 3% of the total Ethereum supply despite facing around $4 billion in unrealized losses. This purchase comes amid a recovering market for Ethereum, which had previously seen a significant decline of over 25% in value within a month.

Bitcoin has experienced a significant price drop of over $40,000 in the past six weeks, leading to a negative shift in market structure, according to Jeff Park, CIO at ProCap BTC. He emphasizes that the focus should be on the volatility markets rather than just spot prices, noting a resurgence in implied volatility that resembles earlier Bitcoin market conditions.

This week, Ethereum's landscape was shaken as Vitalik Buterin's RISC-V proposal faced rejection from Arbitrum developers, while Tom Lee reported a significant $3.5 million loss on his investments. Additionally, a mysterious buyer made headlines with a $1 billion bid, creating a tumultuous environment for traders.

BitMine has significantly expanded its Ethereum holdings by purchasing 21,537 ether tokens, despite facing a challenging market characterized by declining stock prices and substantial unrealized losses. This acquisition reflects the company's ongoing strategy to accumulate Ethereum amid adverse market conditions, as reported by analytics platform Lookonchain.

Aerodrome, the largest decentralized exchange (DEX) on the Ethereum Layer 2 network Base, reported a suspected front-end compromise on November 22, prompting an investigation into the attack and advising users to avoid their centralized domains.

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan has highlighted that Ethereum may lead the next cryptocurrency rally, driven by the upcoming Fusaka upgrade on December 3, which could significantly enhance Ethereum's revenue capture by 5 to 10 times. This upgrade is seen as a critical catalyst that investors are currently overlooking.

Ethereum's price has stalled at $2,818 as derivatives traders prepare for the upcoming week, indicating a period of consolidation amid market volatility. This price point reflects ongoing uncertainty in the cryptocurrency market, particularly following recent fluctuations and downward pressures on Ethereum's value.