Ethereum traded near $1,731 at press time, leaving the asset close to the same area it occupied in March 2021.
According to crypto.news market data, the token rose 0.48% over 24 hours, with a daily range between $1,708 and $1,742.
The current level keeps ETH in a wide debate. Some analysts see a base forming after months of weakness. Others say the chart still needs to defend deeper support before a larger rebound can develop. For now, buyers have slowed the decline, but they have not confirmed control.
Ali Martinez pointed out that Ethereum traded around $1,700 in March 2021 and is near the same area today. He said a “$10,000 investment made five years ago would still be worth approximately $10,000 today.”
That view captures Ethereum’s long macro reset. ETH reached new highs after 2021 and later returned to the same zone after sharp drawdowns. The move does not mean the network stopped growing, but it shows that price has not held those gains over the full period.
“Despite five years of severe volatility, explosive bull runs, and deep bear-market liquidations, ETH has posted zero net gains from that baseline,” Martinez also said.
The comment reflects the main problem for ETH bulls. They need proof that the current zone is a base, not another pause before lower levels.
Ethereum’s current market cap still sits above $200 billion, so the asset remains one of crypto’s largest markets. Yet its weak long-term return from the 2021 baseline explains why traders now focus more on levels than narratives.
Martinez said $1,060 stands out as a value zone to watch if Ethereum fails to hold higher support. That level would mark a deeper correction and could become the area where long-term buyers test demand again.
The bullish path needs ETH to protect macro support and then recover lost resistance levels. Martinez said a successful defense could open the door to $2,850 and $4,630 in the short-to-mid term. The second target sits close to the prior all-time high area.
Michaël van de Poppe took a more constructive view. He said this could be “one of the best times to be buying ETH,” adding that investors may look back in five to ten years and wish they had bought more.
Those comments support the long-term accumulation case, but they do not remove near-term risk. ETH must first reclaim key resistance levels. A move above $1,825 would be an early sign of strength, while a clean push through $2,000 would give buyers a stronger setup.
The short-term technical picture has improved, but it is not fully bullish. The MACD histogram is positive near 21.25, while the MACD line sits around -69.09 and above the signal line near -90.35.
That setup shows a bullish crossover and weaker bearish momentum. Still, both MACD lines remain below the zero line. This means Ethereum is showing an early recovery attempt rather than a confirmed trend reversal.
The RSI also shows a similar message. It sits near 40.45, above its moving average near 35.91. That means momentum has improved from weaker levels.
However, the RSI remains below the neutral 50 mark. Buyers have not taken full control yet. A move above 50 would show stronger demand, especially if it comes with rising volume and a close above nearby resistance.
CryptoQuant analyst Rei Researcher reported a spike in Ethereum exchange outflows from Binance in June 2026. The analyst said a large amount of ETH left the exchange while price traded around the $1.71K area.
Large outflows from exchanges can mean users are moving coins into cold wallets or staking. That can reduce spot sell pressure because fewer tokens remain available for immediate sale on exchanges.
This does not guarantee a price rally. Outflows can support the market only if demand also improves. If macro conditions weaken or Bitcoin loses support, ETH can still retest lower levels.
Recent crypto.news coverage also showed that ETH had already tested lower areas near $1,500 and $1,680 during earlier sell-offs. That history keeps traders cautious until price closes above resistance with stronger volume and broader market support.
For now, Ethereum is trading between early technical recovery and unresolved macro weakness. Bulls need to hold the $1,700 zone, reclaim $1,825, and then push toward $2,000. A failure to hold the range would bring $1,500, $1,300, and the $1,060 value zone back into focus.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

