Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Staking Surge vs Cardano Whale Exodus: The $5 Race Begins

The cryptocurrency market continues to evolve as layer-1 blockchains like Cardano (ADA) and Ethereum (ETH) vie for dominance. With both networks underpinned by proof-of-stake consensus models, their development approaches, scalability solutions, and market dynamics are shaping investor sentiment. Recent on-chain activity and whale movements have intensified speculation on which of these two platforms could see a native token reach $5 first—though such a milestone remains speculative and far from current valuations.

Ethereum's recent developments highlight its ongoing transition to a more scalable and energy-efficient network. The Ethereum 2.0 upgrade, which transitioned the network to a proof-of-stake model, has seen significant participation from long-term investors. A major Ethereum whale recently deposited 150,000 ETH, valued at $646 million, into a staking address after three years of inactivity. This marked one of the largest single deposits in recent history and underscored the network’s growing appeal for yield generation. Ethereum’s staking layer has now surpassed 33 million ETH, with older investors increasingly participating as staking yields stabilize and the network matures [1].

Meanwhile, Ethereum’s exchange flux balance has turned negative for the first time in history, signaling aggressive accumulation by investors. According to on-chain analyst Joao Wedson, this trend suggests a shift in investor behavior toward long-term holding rather than short-term trading. The negative flux balance indicates that more ETH is leaving exchanges than entering them, a bullish sign as it reduces the liquidity available for short-term selling. Glassnode data also reveals that Ethereum’s exchange balance is at its lowest in nearly nine years, reaching 15.72 million ETH. This reduction in circulating supply on exchanges could contribute to upward price pressure in the long term [2].

In contrast, Cardano has seen mixed whale activity. On-chain data shows that Cardano whales sold approximately 50 million ADA in just 48 hours, amounting to around $41 million. Analysts have attributed this to profit-taking or risk management by large holders amid a market slowdown. Despite this, ADA has shown resilience, maintaining a price above $0.80 as of the latest data. The network’s research-driven development approach and Ouroboros consensus mechanism position it as a long-term contender, though it lags behind Ethereum in terms of ecosystem maturity and developer activity [3].

The competition between Cardano and Ethereum is not just technical but also market-driven. Ethereum’s first-mover advantage in smart contract adoption and decentralized finance (DeFi) has given it a dominant position in the crypto space. However, Cardano’s methodical development process, with a strong emphasis on peer-reviewed research, has attracted a different demographic of developers and investors. Both platforms are working to enhance scalability, but Ethereum’s layer 2 solutions and active ecosystem provide it with a current edge [4].

Looking ahead, the path to $5 for either ADA or ETH remains uncertain. Analysts have pointed out that while Ethereum’s price could rally if key resistance levels are broken, Cardano’s long-term roadmap and potential partnerships could also drive its value upward. For now, the market appears to favor Ethereum, but Cardano’s fundamentals and strategic upgrades keep it in the race [2].

Source:

[1] Ethereum ICO Whale Stakes $646M ETH After Three Years (https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/09/05/ethereum-ico-whale-stakes-usd600m-after-three-years-dormant)

[2] ETH exchange 'flux' turns negative for the first time (https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-bull-run-eth-exchange-flux-turns-negative-for-the-first-time)

[3] Massive Whale Transfers Hit Cardano and Ethereum Amid Market Slowdown (https://captainaltcoin.com/massive-whale-transfers-hit-cardano-and-ethereum-amid-market-slowdown/)

[4] Cardano vs Ethereum - Key Differences and Similarities (https://www.tokenmetrics.com/blog/cardano-vs-ethereum)