Key Insights:
- Ethereum price pushed above $3K briefly but fell back as buyers are now fiercely guarding the $2,772–$3,119 zone.
- ETH Price sits between $2,950–$3,000, under the 100-hour moving average.
- The break below risks liquidations to $2,750–$2,650 or worse if market selling ramps up.
Ethereum price action failed to sync with Bitcoin’s drop to $88,000 after the altcoin posted a 2% uptick over the last 24-hours. However, ETH/USD is still in recovery mode, considering it had jumped to $3,300 at the start of the week before easing back below the psychological support of $3,000.
At the time of writing, buyers are now standing firm to protect the $2,772–$3,119 range for ETH price. Analyst Ali Charts points out that on-chain activity is piling up here, making it a solid support zone during all this market chop.
With Ethereum price back under $3,000 and below the 100-hour moving average, the market is at a real tipping point. Bulls want to reclaim those levels to steady the chart, while sellers are trying to keep the price pinned beneath them.
Whichever side wins that fight is likely to set the tone for the next move.
Ethereum Price Attempts To Retest $3,000
Even so, the downside hasn’t turned into a free fall. Sellers are simply showing up fast around $3,020 for Ethereum price.
This marks the level that has rejected multiple rebound attempts and is now the first hurdle bulls need to clear. Daily active addresses have also doubled recently, indicating surging network engagement despite the dip.
Top crypto analyst Ali Charts notes in a detailed X post that Ethereum on-chain activity is bunching up between $2,772 and $3,119. This buildup of transactions, wallet buys, and liquidity shows a strong support zone where buyers are jumping in hard.
CryptoQuant reveals robust exchange inflows and staking activity in this range.
Ethereum ETF have seen the most concentrated buying here, establishing it as a battleground for institutional demand. Such on-chain clustering often precedes bounces, as seen in prior cycles where similar zones held firm.
Ethereum Price Prediction: Buyers Building Base Around $2,880
Zooming into the 1-day Ethereum price chart, $2,880 emerges as the linchpin floor within this zone. A hold here keeps the structure intact, potentially sparking a retest of $3,020–$3,120.
The 100-hour SMA, now above the price at roughly $3,010, acts as dynamic resistance alongside the $3,020 static level.
A daily close above $3,085–$3,120 would confirm the bullish case for ETH price. It would aim for $3,350–$3,660 based on the recent market forecasts.
MACD looks bearish right now, but RSI near 50 suggests there’s still room to climb without getting too hot. On the flip side, dropping clear below $2,880 kills the support idea for Ethereum price, first hitting $2,800, then $2,750–$2,650.
That matches Ali Charts’ past takes, where $2,772 has been a big floor before it could send things down to $2,489 or worse.
ETH Staking Entry Queue Continues To Expand
Ethereum price resilience shines through on chain strength. Staking inflows have surged, and investors continue to show interest with the Ethereum validator queue reaching 2.7 million ETH as per the latest data from ValidatorQueue.
Transaction volumes, though down weekly, correlate positively with price in key periods, per recent reports.
Network fundamentals bolster the case: Record transaction processing on Etherscan, doubled daily active addresses, and dominance in DeFi with over $100B TVL. Upcoming Ethereum upgrades like improved layer-2 scaling could ignite fresh momentum.
For late January 2026, predictions lean moderate bullish: 1.5–10% gains to $3,280–$3,660, assuming macro stability. Bitcoin’s stability above $90K provides tailwinds, as ETH/BTC ratios stabilize.
Ethereum Faces Bearish Triangle Breakdown and Liquidation Risks
Ethereum price Bears aren’t done yet. Prolonged consolidation risks a descending triangle breakdown if selling pressure mounts.
Recent dominance of sell orders early in 2026 underscores this, with AI models eyeing $3,000–$3,300 as a baseline amid macro risks like Fed policy or equity sell-offs.
A drop below $2,880 triggers liquidations for Ethereum price, amplified by high leverage. Historical precedents, like December 2025’s sub-$3K crash, show volatility spikes.
Without volume-backed bounces, $2,400–$2,200 becomes plausible in a broader altcoin correction. ETH price story is far from over.
With Ali Charts’ data-backed call and aligning technicals, holding the zone favors bulls toward $3,350 plus.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2026/01/21/ethereum-price-eyes-3k-as-buyers-cluster-around-2-8k/
