Shows Resilience at $3,100 Despite Bitcoin Underperformance

TLDR

Ethereum’s price recently faced resistance at $3,220 after recovering from a $3,021 low
Exchange reserves for ETH have hit multi-year lows in 2024, suggesting potential supply shortage
Technical analysis shows mixed signals with bullish potential but underperformance against Bitcoin
Price currently trades below the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average with key resistance at $3,250
ETH/BTC pair showing weakness with next support levels between 0.028-0.026

Ethereum’s price has maintained its position above the $3,100 mark, even as the cryptocurrency faces technical resistance near $3,220. Recent data shows a notable decline in exchange reserves, reaching multi-year lows in early 2024, suggesting a potential supply shortage in the market.

The second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization recently experienced a price dip below $3,150, forming a local bottom at $3,021. Bulls quickly stepped in to provide support, leading to a recovery above the $3,120 level.

Exchange reserves for Ethereum have undergone substantial changes since the 2017-2018 bull market peak. The metric reached another high during the 2020-2021 period, driven largely by the expanding DeFi ecosystem and growing interest in Ethereum-based projects.

A sharp decline in exchange reserves began in late 2021, characterized by large-scale withdrawals. This trend has continued into 2024, with reserves maintaining historically low levels. Market analysts suggest this could indicate a shift in holder behavior, with more investors moving their assets into long-term storage.

Technical analysis reveals a complex market structure, with Ethereum currently trading below both $3,200 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. A bearish trend line has formed with resistance at $3,250 on the hourly chart.

The price action shows immediate resistance near the $3,150 level, with a more substantial barrier around $3,220. This zone coincides with the trend line and the 50% Fibonacci retracement level of the recent downward movement from $3,425 to $3,021.

Trading data indicates that Ethereum needs to overcome the $3,270 resistance level to establish a more decisive upward trend. A breakthrough above this point could open the path toward $3,350, with potential for movement toward $3,420 or even $3,500.

On the downside, initial support exists near $3,050, with a crucial support level at $3,020. A break below these levels could trigger further selling pressure, potentially pushing the price toward $3,000 or even $2,950.

The relationship between Ethereum and Bitcoin has shown some concerning patterns. While Bitcoin has maintained a steady upward trajectory, the ETH/BTC pair has been forming lower lows, indicating reduced relative strength against Bitcoin.

Market analyst Anup Dhungana identifies the next technical support range for the ETH/BTC pair between 0.028 and 0.026. A bounce from these levels could potentially reignite broader interest in Ethereum and the wider altcoin market.

Despite the mixed signals, some analysts maintain an optimistic outlook. Crypto Ceaser, a prominent market commentator, recently highlighted Ethereum’s price bounce as a major opportunity, suggesting the asset is currently undervalued.

$ETH – #Ethereum bounced as expected. This was a huge opportunity. Send it.

In my opinion Ethereum is heavily undervalued. I think we will see new ATH’s soon. pic.twitter.com/ljMa1lEpJO

— Crypto Caesar (@CryptoCaesarTA) January 28, 2025

Historical data shows that reduced exchange reserves have often coincided with price stabilization at higher levels. This pattern emerged notably from 2022 onward, as declining reserves corresponded with stronger price support.

The hourly MACD indicator currently shows momentum in the bearish zone, while the RSI remains below the 50 mark, suggesting short-term technical weakness.

Recent price movements have resulted in a modest 2.3% increase over the past 24 hours, though Ethereum still shows a 3.3% decline over the weekly timeframe.

The ongoing withdrawal trend from exchanges suggests a potential supply shortage, which traditionally creates upward pressure on prices when demand increases.

Current market data shows main resistance forming at $3,270, with support established around the $3,020 level.