Ethereum attracted growing institutional conviction as large-scale staking drained liquid supply, while price traded near $3,090 despite rising leverage pressure.

Tom Lee’s Bitmine has intensified Ethereum staking activity, adding 86,400 ETH worth $266.3M, pushing its total staked holdings to 1,080,512 ETH valued near $3.33B. 

This scale of staking reflected strategic, long-duration positioning rather than opportunistic trading. 

Each deposit removes ETH from active spot circulation, reducing sell-side liquidity. Moreover, staking yields incentivize patience over volatility chasing. 

Consequently, Ethereum absorbed the supply quietly, without triggering price acceleration.

That imbalance often precedes volatility once demand re-enters. Until then, staking continues to compress available supply beneath the surface.

Breakout holds amid early momentum recovery

Ethereum has broken decisively above its descending channel, invalidating the prior bearish structure that guided price since September. 

The rebound from $2,767 established a higher low, while the reclaim of the $3,090 pivot confirmed structural stabilization. 

However, price has stalled below $3,307, where supply continues to cap upside attempts, with $3,909 remaining the next major resistance. The RSI now sits near 51, marking a shift from prior bearish momentum. 

This reading reflects early bullish recovery rather than neutrality. RSI holding above 50 shows buyers regaining control, though without acceleration. 

Therefore, momentum improves, but confirmation requires sustained strength above resistance to validate continuation.

Leverage heats up as funding jumps 66.12%

Funding Rates have surged 66.12%, rising to 0.01275, signaling aggressive long positioning across perpetual markets. 

Traders now pay a premium to maintain bullish exposure. However, price has not expanded alongside leverage. Ethereum remains pinned near $3,090, creating a leverage-price divergence. 

Historically, such setups amplify volatility risk. Either price expands upward, rewarding longs, or stagnation forces deleveraging. 

Meanwhile, spot demand has not mirrored the derivatives optimism. Therefore, leverage now leads sentiment without confirmation. 

This imbalance places Ethereum at a tipping point. Sustained consolidation could pressure late longs, while a clean resistance break could trigger forced short covering.

Ethereum shorts take heavier hits as downside weakens

Liquidation data confirms mounting stress on bearish positions. At the time of press, total short liquidations reached $564.78K, compared to $241.53K in long liquidations. 

Binance alone accounted for $55.03K in short losses, while HTX saw $247.37K wiped from bearish bets. 

These figures show bears absorbing more damage despite limited price movement. However, shorts still defend resistance zones aggressively. 

Therefore, pressure builds gradually rather than explosively. Each failed breakdown strengthens the base. 

This dynamic often precedes volatility expansion, especially when leverage skews long. Shorts now rely on resistance holding, while buyers wait for confirmation.

Liquidity clusters tighten the trading range

The Binance ETH/USDT liquidation heatmap highlights dense liquidity bands framing price.

Heavy liquidation clusters sit near $3,050–$3,100 below price and $3,150–$3,200 above it. These zones act as magnetic levels. 

Price gravitates toward them during low-volatility sessions. Meanwhile, thinner liquidity pockets appear above $3,225, suggesting reduced resistance if the price breaks higher.

Conversely, liquidity fades below $3,000, limiting downside acceleration. 

Therefore, Ethereum remains trapped inside a liquidity-defined range. Until one cluster clears, price will oscillate. Liquidity, not trend, now dictates short-term behavior.

Is Ethereum preparing for expansion?

Ethereum continues to display strong structural support as institutional conviction reinforces long-term supply absorption. 

At the same time, aggressive derivatives positioning creates growing tension between leverage and price behavior. Short-side pressure has increased, yet resistance still limits upside follow-through. 

As a result, Ethereum appears to be compressing rather than weakening. Momentum indicators suggest improving buyer control, although confirmation remains necessary.

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Final Thoughts

• Ethereum appears to be building a controlled base after its breakout, favoring upside resolution over renewed downside.
• A decisive move through resistance would likely unlock expansion, while continued compression delays but does not invalidate the bullish structure.

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