TLDR
- Dormant Ethereum whale stakes 7,182 ETH worth $18 million after 1.2 years, despite $4.8 million unrealized loss
- Ethereum whales accumulated 613,000 ETH in 24 hours while retail investors increase selling pressure
- ETH price needs to break above $2,800 resistance to trigger potential rally toward $4,000
- Spot Ethereum ETF inflows totaled $861.3 million over two weeks, showing institutional demand
- Total staked ETH hits all-time high of 35 million tokens, reducing liquid supply
Ethereum price action shows a clear divide between whale behavior and retail sentiment as the cryptocurrency trades around $2,550. A dormant whale recently returned after 1.2 years to stake 7,182 ETH worth $18.08 million through Lido Finance.
The whale’s move comes despite holding an unrealized loss of $4.87 million on tokens originally withdrawn from Binance at $22.96 million. Rather than selling at a loss, the whale chose to earn yield through staking.
This decision reflects confidence in Ethereum’s long-term prospects. The whale’s strategy of staking instead of selling suggests belief in future price recovery.
Whale Activity Contrasts Retail Behavior
Data from IntoTheBlock shows Ethereum whales accumulated 613,000 ETH in just 24 hours. This massive buying spree indicates growing confidence among large holders.
Whale Netflow remained positive over three days. Such sustained accumulation by major holders typically signals bullish sentiment.
However, retail investors show different behavior. Exchange activity data reveals ETH recording more inflows than outflows. This pattern reflects higher selling activity from smaller investors.
CryptoQuant data shows Exchange Netflow at a positive 46.9K ETH over three days. More investors are sending ETH to exchanges, preparing for potential sales.
The disconnect between whale accumulation and retail selling creates market tension. Whales are betting on upside while retail braces for downside.
Technical Resistance at $2,800 Level
Ethereum price reached a four-month high of $2,880 on June 11 before correcting to current levels. Analysts identify $2,800 as key resistance that needs breaking for upward momentum.
Crypto analyst Daan Crypto Trades notes ETH price compressing below the $2,800 level. A decisive break above this resistance could trigger a move toward cycle highs around $4,000.
$ETH Price action is compressing right below this big $2.8K level.
If we’d see a convincing break above $2.8K and hold there, that would be a good setup for a move to the cycle highs around ~$4K.
If we do lose this current range then $2.1K is the big high timeframe level to… pic.twitter.com/y0opUZqUQJ
— Daan Crypto Trades (@DaanCrypto) June 16, 2025
Fellow analyst Jelle points to price compression in a tight range below $2,800. Such structures typically end in strong directional moves.
ETF Demand Supports Bullish Case
Spot Ethereum ETFs continue attracting institutional money. These investment products saw net inflows totaling $861.3 million over two weeks.
The funds experienced a 19-day inflow streak before breaking on Friday. Fresh inflows resumed Monday through Wednesday, including over $19 million on Wednesday.
These inflows represent the highest since January. They reflect growing confidence among traditional finance players in Ethereum’s prospects.
Staked ETH increased by over 500,000 tokens between June 1 and recent days. Total locked amount reached a new all-time high above 35 million ETH.
Rising staked amounts signal confidence while reducing liquid supply. This creates scarcity that can drive prices higher if demand continues.
Accumulation addresses holding ETH with no selling history reached all-time highs. These addresses now hold 22.8 million ETH worth approximately $58 billion.
Strong accumulation combined with minimal selling pressure often precedes price rallies. The metrics position Ethereum favorably for potential upside.
ETH price currently trades between the 200-day simple moving average at $2,600 as resistance and 50-day SMA at $2,450 as support. Bulls need to reclaim the 200-day SMA for sustained recovery toward $3,000.
Previous breaks above this trendline led to major rallies. The last breakout resulted in 40% gains from $3,130 to $4,100 over five weeks.
Technical indicators show mixed signals for near-term direction. Stochastic RSI declined to oversold territory around 8 from 72, indicating selling pressure.
Should momentum continue slipping, Ethereum risks losing support at $2,438 aligned with its 50-day moving average. A breach could open potential decline toward $1,200.
