Ethereum On-Chain Metrics Hit Milestones Amid ETF Inflows

Ethereum (ETH) opened 2026 with robust ETF inflows and substantial on-chain growth. Institutional interest surged as spot Ether ETFs recorded $174.5 million in net inflows on January 2. This coincided with ETH climbing to multi-week price highs above $3,200.

How Did Ethereum Start 2026 in ETFs and Market Performance?

US-based spot Ether ETFs attracted $174.5 million on January 2, marking their largest inflow since December 9. This contributed to a combined $646 million haul for Bitcoin and Ether ETFs that day. Ether's price followed this momentum, rising 1.2% to hit a three-week peak above $3,200. Crypto infrastructure stocks like Bakkt surged 31.5% alongside major exchanges during the rally.

ETF inflows are considered key sentiment indicators for institutional adoption. The activity occurred despite the broader crypto market remaining in 'Extreme Fear' territory per sentiment indexes.

What On-Chain Milestones Signal Ethereum's Network Strength?

Ethereum processed over 2.2 million daily transactions in late December with average fees at $0.17. This represented a 48% year-over-year increase in network activity. Smart contract deployments reached 8.7 million during the same period, reflecting heightened developer engagement.

Q4 stablecoin transfers on Ethereum hit $8 trillion, underscoring its role in digital finance. The Fusaka upgrade significantly boosted network performance and transaction throughput. Analysts view these metrics as critical growth signals for Ethereum's utility and adoption.