Key Insights:
- Ethereum price in focus as the ETH network is thriving due to increased liquidity, dominance over DeFi, tokenization, stablecoins, L2s, and active addresses.
- ETH price could jump to move around $3,200 – $3,400 as long as the $3,000 support holds.
- Bitmine stakes $1 billion worth of ETH, positioning as a major institutional holder and yield accumulator.
Ethereum (ETH) price climbed above $3,000 in today’s morning trade. Considering its bullish movement and other factors, some market experts believe the coin could easily reach $5,000 by Q1 2026.
Why is the Ethereum Network Thriving?
In an X post, Joseph Young, a well-known crypto analyst and commentator, made a bullish case for Ethereum’s current strength and growth.
He highlighted four key on-chain metrics that show Ethereum is attracting and retaining more liquidity and activity than ever. This positions Ethereum as the dominant blockchain for real-world financial applications.
In his post, Young noted that Ethereum-based applications have recorded $593 billion worth of capital.
Additionally, Ethereum remains the dominant leader in decentralized finance (DeFi), tokenization, and stablecoins.
Notably, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently opined that the network is a low-risk DeFi powerhouse.
Ethereum is quietly maturing into the financial backbone for both everyday savers and institutional investors. This transformation is happening after years of shifting narratives, from ICOs to NFTs to yield farming.
Besides, Ethereum processes over half of all stablecoin supply and transfers, with massive net issuance.
Major institutions predominantly use Ethereum for real-world tokenization. This dominance creates a network effect; more liquidity attracts more builders and users.
Thirdly, Young pointed out that trailing Ethereum Layer-2 (L2) volume is near an all-time high.
This means the recent transaction volume on Ethereum’s Layer 2 networks, like Base, Arbitrum, and Optimism, is approaching historical peaks.
Finally, the Ethereum network has maintained over 550,000 daily active addresses, indicating sustained core activity.
Ethereum ETH Price Breaks $3,000, What Next?
Commenting on Ethereum price movement, analyst Ted Pillows noted that the coin has climbed past the $3,000 mark.
According to market data, the ETH price surged to $3,050 earlier today, before dropping to the current $2,970. In the past 24 hours, the ETH price rose more than 1%, while trading volume increased 174% to $20.5 billion.
Ted Pillows noted that the $3,000 mark is a key zone to watch. According to the analyst, a close above the zone would confirm bullish momentum, targeting the next major move around $3,200-$3,400.
His prediction aligns with classic technical analysis, where reclaiming a key level often leads to a measured move upward.
Ted Pillows, however, warned that failure to close above $3,000 would invalidate the recent pump. If this happens, ETH could fall to around $2,800 or even lower.
New Bitmine Staking Validation
Meanwhile, Bitmine, the world’s leading ETH corporate holder, continues to show confidence in the altcoin.
According to crypto expert Merlijn The Trade, Bitmine recently staked 342,560 ETH, valued at about $1 billion in 48 hours. This represents a significant portion of its ETH holdings shifted from passive to active staking.
Unlike short-term trading or speculation, staking locks ETH, signaling deep, long-term conviction.
For a corporate treasury like Bitmine, staking removes selling pressure from the market while the firm earns an annual yield. This turns ETH into a productive asset, generating income without selling.
Merlin emphasized that staking is how Ethereum quietly turns into a yield-bearing, programmatic monetary asset.
Long-term, Bitmine aims for 5% of the total ETH supply. If fully staked, Bitmine’s ETH holdings could generate hundreds of millions in annual rewards.
Recently, Bitmine Chairman Tom Lee predicted ETH to hit $7,000-$9,000 by early 2026. He attributed the potential ETH price rally to long-term structural demand, rather than short-term price swings.
According to Lee, recent volatility does not change the role of Ethereum in financial infrastructure. He added that the outlook focuses on tokenization, faster settlements, and more institutional adoption worldwide.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2025/12/30/4-reasons-why-ethereum-price-to-5000-is-possible-in-q1-2026/
