Ethereum price prediction: ETH recovers to $3,150 as structure begins to stabilize
Ethereum is back on the radar as the new year opens, trading near $3,150 on Monday after weeks of grinding sideways and quietly rebuilding momentum. The move has not been driven by hype, protocol headlines, or sudden ETF news.
Highlights
- Ethereum trades near $3,150 after defending the $2,900-$3,000 support zone.
- Daily RSI has moved back above 60, signaling improving momentum without excess.
- Key resistance sits between $3,300 and $3,350 at longer-term EMAs.
Instead, it reflects a shift in positioning. Sellers who controlled price action through November and early December have stepped back, while buyers are returning with patience rather than urgency. Ethereum is not breaking out, but it is no longer bleeding, and that distinction is shaping early 2026 trading.
Price action over the past two weeks signals stabilization rather than exuberance. After repeatedly defending the $2,900 to $3,000 region, ETH has carved out a higher low and pushed back into a zone where decision-making matters. The market is transitioning from survival mode into evaluation mode, with participants testing whether the recovery has legs or is simply another failed bounce. Those highlights capture the balance in the market. Momentum is improving, but Ethereum is now pushing directly into structural resistance that has capped every rally since October.
Momentum improves as ETH presses into resistance
On the daily chart, Ethereum’s hesitation is easy to understand. Price is still trading below its major EMAs, with the 20-day near $3,030, the 50-day around $3,120, the 100-day close to $3,307, and the 200-day near $3,353. This downward-sloping cluster has repeatedly rejected upside attempts over the past three months. At the same time, ETH has held above $2,900 on multiple tests, forming a higher low in late December. That shift has moved the market from outright bearish to cautiously constructive.

ETH price dynamics (Source: TradingView)
The daily RSI has climbed back above 60, reflecting strengthening momentum without flashing exhaustion. Such RSI behavior typically aligns with consolidation that resolves higher rather than sharp reversals. Volume has expanded modestly during the advance but has not spiked in a way that suggests panic buying or late-stage chasing.
Shorter timeframes show where conviction is building. On the 30-minute chart, Ethereum staged a clean advance from below $3,000 to just over $3,200, supported by a rising Supertrend near $3,145. Parabolic SAR flipped bullish during the move and has only recently printed above price as ETH pulled back toward $3,150. Importantly, the pullback has been orderly. There has been no cascade of selling, no surge in red volume, and no sign of forced liquidation. Buyers are stepping in earlier on dips, a sign that traders are positioning for continuation rather than protecting the downside.
Flows and derivatives point to controlled risk-taking
On-chain data tempers enthusiasm but does not invalidate the recovery. Spot flow data still shows net outflows, with roughly $19M leaving exchanges on the most recent reading. That tells us long-term holders are not aggressively accumulating yet. However, the scale of outflows has shrunk significantly compared with the heavy distribution seen through October and November. Historically, Ethereum has often advanced once selling pressure eases, even before meaningful inflows return. Price does not need aggressive accumulation to rise. It simply requires sellers to stop leaning on rallies.
Derivatives markets offer a clearer read on trader intent. Futures volume has jumped nearly 38%, signaling renewed interest in directional exposure. At the same time, open interest has dipped slightly to around $41.7B. Rising volume alongside flat or declining open interest typically indicates rotation rather than leverage buildup. Liquidation data supports that interpretation. Recent pullbacks have punished late longs more than shorts, flushing weak positioning without damaging the broader structure. Top traders remain net long across major venues, but positioning is not extreme. This is controlled risk-taking, not euphoria.
Market outlook
From a broader market perspective, Ethereum remains tied to Bitcoin’s behavior. Bitcoin’s inability to break decisively higher has limited ETH’s upside, even as its internal structure improves. Still, Ethereum continues to benefit from longer-term fundamentals that have not changed. ETF-related demand remains a background tailwind, staking continues to lock up supply, and network activity remains stable with contained fees. None of these factors are explosive on their own, but together they make sustained downside harder to achieve without a macro shock.
Previously, we highlighted that Ethereum’s weakness in late 2025 was driven by persistent selling and failure to defend the $3,000 area. The current setup reflects a reversal of that dynamic. Sellers have stepped back, support is holding, and momentum has reset. What remains missing is confirmation through a reclaim of long-term resistance.
Looking ahead, the bullish path is narrow but clear. Ethereum needs to reclaim and hold above the 100-day moving average near $3,300. A daily close above that level would likely open the door to $3,500, where the next major supply zone sits. Failure to hold $3,050, however, would put $2,900 back into focus and risk labeling the move a failed rally.
For now, Ethereum sits in a tradable middle ground. It is stabilizing, not trending. Confirmation will come only if price can hold above its longer-term averages. Until then, discipline matters more than conviction.
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