Ethereum surges 8% to $2,601 on institutional interest, ETF inflows

Ethereum's price surged to $2,601 on July 2, marking an 8% increase from its previous closing price of $2,413. This surge followed a 16-hour consolidation phase, during which the price remained relatively stable before breaking out. The price increase coincided with growing institutional interest in Ethereum's role as a platform for tokenized financial products and continued momentum in spot ETF inflows.

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan offered a bullish forecast on July 2, suggesting that flows into spot Ethereum ETFs could accelerate significantly in the second half of 2025. Hougan noted that Ethereum ETFs attracted $1.17 billion in net inflows in June alone and suggested that the second half of 2025 could see a much larger total if investor interest accelerates. He attributed this potential growth to the combination of stablecoins and stocks moving over Ethereum, which he believes is an easy-to-grasp narrative for traditional investors.

On June 30, Robinhood confirmed via X that it is building “Robinhood Chain” on Arbitrum to “power the future of asset ownership.” While the company did not specify a timeline for launch, its decision to build on Ethereum’s leading Layer-2 solution reinforces the network’s position at the center of tokenized finance. The Ethereum Foundation amplified this narrative in a response that read: “Ethereum is for tokenized stocks.”

Analysts say the convergence of stablecoins, tokenized equities, and staking on Ethereum creates a compelling use case for institutional capital. As staking locks up nearly 30% of ETH’s supply and Layer-2 usage accelerates, Ethereum is increasingly being positioned as the foundational layer for real-world asset tokenization. Market participants are now watching the $2,800 level as the next resistance zone, which, if breached, could reinforce the bullish momentum heading into the second half of the year.