Ethereum has had a rough path lately. While Bitcoin pushes into six-figure territory, ETH has quietly fallen behind.
This content comes from a recent video by Coin Bureau, where host Guy breaks down the boldest and most cautious ETH price forecasts. It’s a timely analysis as institutions continue to quietly accumulate ETH, even during its underperformance.
The ETH/BTC ratio hit a five-year low earlier this year. Spot ETF inflows tell the same story: $4 billion for ETH versus $49 billion for BTC.
Still, institutional buyers haven’t backed off. SharpLink Gaming purchased 176,000 ETH, while Coinbase and Bit Digital also hold major positions.
But Ethereum’s fundamentals are bruised. Fee revenue is down 73%, and daily ETH burn has collapsed by 99%.
Most activity has moved to Layer 2s like Arbitrum and Optimism. These L2s process 11x more transactions than Ethereum mainnet but generate far less revenue.
Despite this, ETH futures on CME show strong interest from sophisticated traders. Options markets also lean bullish, with big bets on a move back to $3,000 or more.
🚀 The Battle Between Bulls and Bears
Arthur Hayes, founder of BitMEX, is among the loudest ETH bulls. He believes ETH could hit $5,000 this year and possibly fly past $10,000.
Hayes argues ETH is “the most hated L1,” making it ripe for a narrative flip. His thesis depends on a flood of global liquidity and renewed sentiment.
VanEck takes a more cautious stance, forecasting $6,000 based on staking ETF approvals and stablecoin growth. ARK Invest sees up to $8,000, driven by ETH’s growing role in tokenizing real-world assets.
Both firms suggest ETH is maturing into a financial backbone, even comparing it to U.S. Treasury bills. But even they don’t expect moves as big as Bitcoin’s.
On the flip side, Standard Chartered slashed their ETH target from $10,000 to just $4,000. They say Layer 2s are bleeding value from Ethereum’s base layer.
They estimate that about $50 billion in value has already leaked away. Revenue expectations were too high, and real figures now look much weaker.
Even staking ETFs may not save the day. Custody and fee costs could eat away most of the potential yield.
Bitwise also revised its forecast. Their $7,000 target is now $4,500, citing softer ETF flows and competition from faster chains like Solana.
So, is $10,000 ETH realistic? According to Coin Bureau, it’s possible – but only under the most bullish liquidity scenarios.
Ethereum still has the brand, ecosystem, and developer strength. But whether that translates to price this cycle is still uncertain.
Read also: How Cardano Went From ‘Ethereum Killer’ to Crypto Ghost Town
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