- Whale accumulation and rising Open Interest reveal growing institutional confidence and expectations of sustained upside.
- Ethereum flipped key resistance as bullish sentiment and Funding Rates aligned to support further price expansion.
Ethereum [ETH] flashed conflicting on-chain signals as whales continued to accumulate aggressively while retail traders reduced exposure. This divergence has created uncertainty across the market.
Exchange Inflows increased, suggesting rising sell pressure. However, outflows have also grown, signaling strong accumulation.
At press time, the altcoin’s price rallied 25.32% to trade at $2,428.15.
This surge reflects growing volatility and renewed interest. Therefore, the battle between short-term doubt and long-term conviction may soon decide Ethereum’s next direction.
Are ETH whales silently setting the stage for a breakout?
Whale behavior has turned increasingly aggressive.
Large Holder Netflows rose 373.68% in seven days and 968.57% in the last 90 days. Institutions continue to buy. Abraxas Capital withdrew 49,644 ETH ($92M) from Binance and Kraken.
Additionally, a wallet linked to Trump’s World Liberty acquired 1,587 ETH worth $3.5M. These signals confirm smart money confidence.
Therefore, if retail selling slows down, this accumulation could support further price growth and reduce downside risks in the near term.

Source: IntoTheBlock
On top of that, Open Interest climbed 13.16% to $14.85 billion. This shows that traders are reopening positions and preparing for a major move.
Of course, higher Open Interest adds fuel to volatility. If Funding Rates remain steady and leverage stays balanced, a squeeze could favor bulls.
However, aggressive leverage without spot support could lead to a swift reversal.
Can a flip in Funding Rates revive bullish conviction?
Funding Rates have shifted to the positive zone after weeks of flat readings.
Binance ETH Funding Rate stood at 0.01%, which shows that bullish traders are slowly regaining control. Earlier negative rates reflected excessive bearish pressure.
However, this reversal hints at growing buyer strength. Historically, this type of shift often appears before upward momentum.
Therefore, if rates continue rising, Ethereum could build on its recent surge and break above major resistance zones.


Source: Santiment
Sentiment has started to shift in favor of buyers. Bullish accounts outnumbered bears 103 to 98 over the past week—a slim edge, but a notable change.
This slight edge may strengthen if Ethereum holds above $2,200.
Positive sentiment, combined with accumulation and funding support, often leads to extended rallies. Traders should monitor crowd behavior closely.
It frequently foreshadows stronger market trends before they appear on the charts.
What key levels must ETH hold to sustain momentum?
Ethereum has surged above $2,225 and now eyes $2,800 as the next resistance. Bollinger Bands confirm volatility expansion, while stochastic RSI near 72 signals rising momentum.
However, prices may face short-term resistance if overbought conditions develop. Still, the broader trend shows strength. Support remains solid at $1,793.
Therefore, bulls must defend that level to protect their momentum. If they do, Ethereum could extend this recovery into a sustained uptrend in the coming days.


Source: TradingView
Whale accumulation, rising Open Interest, and a flip in Funding Rates suggest Ethereum is in breakout territory.
If ETH holds above $2,200 and retail buyers return, this could mark the beginning of a broader recovery, both for Ethereum and the wider market.