Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Faces Hurdles to Surpass All-Time High as Bitcoin Gains Momentum

Generated by AI AgentCoin World
Monday, Aug 18, 2025 6:21 am ET1min read
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Aime RobotAime Summary

- Canary Capital CEO Steven McClurg doubts Ethereum can surpass its 2021 $4,800 high despite recent strength near $4,750.

- He contrasts Ethereum's "older technology" status with Bitcoin's $124,000 surge and 50% chance to hit $150,000 by year-end.

- McClurg highlights Ethereum's structural challenges in institutional adoption and market psychology versus Bitcoin's store-of-value narrative.

- While some see ETH's $1,500-to-$4,800 rally as bullish, McClurg argues upgrades like tokenization haven't driven meaningful price breaks.

Ethereum may be experiencing one of its strongest years since 2021, but Steven McClurg, CEO of Canary Capital, has expressed skepticism about the asset’s ability to break its all-time high [1]. Speaking on CNBC’s Crypto World, McClurg described

Ethereum
as an “older technology” that has been outpaced by newer, faster, and more secure blockchain protocols. While he acknowledged Ethereum’s historical performance and recent strength fueled by ETH ETF launches, he remains unconvinced that this momentum will lead to a new peak [2].

McClurg’s comments come at a pivotal time for Ethereum. The asset has recently tested the $4,750 level—just shy of its 2021 high of approximately $4,800—before retreating to below $4,300. In contrast,

Bitcoin
has already surged past its previous all-time high, reaching over $124,000 [3]. According to McClurg, Bitcoin has a 50% chance of reaching $150,000 by year-end, driven by strong ETF inflows and institutional adoption, while Ethereum remains unlikely to surpass its prior peak [4].

This divergence in sentiment reflects a broader market narrative that positions Bitcoin as the dominant asset in the current cycle. While Ethereum has benefited from ongoing upgrades such as tokenization initiatives, McClurg argues these advancements have not yet translated into a meaningful price breakout [5]. He suggests that Ethereum faces structural challenges in competing with Bitcoin, particularly in terms of institutional adoption and market psychology [6].

Despite McClurg’s bearish outlook, some in the market continue to believe that Ethereum has the potential to reclaim its all-time high. The rapid rally from around $1,500 to nearly $4,800 within months demonstrates strong demand for ETH. A breakout above the $4,800 level could shift the narrative in Ethereum’s favor [7]. Until that happens, however, critics like McClurg are likely to maintain a cautious stance.

McClurg’s comments align with broader trends indicating that Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as a store of value, while Ethereum is seen as a more cyclical, utility-driven asset. As the crypto market continues to evolve, the contrast between these two leading cryptocurrencies may become more pronounced, particularly if Ethereum struggles to justify its valuation through widespread adoption and real-world use cases [8].

Sources:

[1] CaptainAltcoin (https://captainaltcoin.com/canary-capital-ceo-says-ethereum-price-wont-reach-all-time-highs/)

[2] Cryptonews (https://cryptonews.com/news/ethereum-price-analysis-steven-mcclurgs-outlook-will-eth-fall-behind-as-btc-surges/)

[3] The (https://thecryptobasic.com/2025/08/18/pierre-rochard-says-tokenization-wont-drive-xrp-value/)

[4] Decrypt (https://decrypt.co/)

[5] The (https://thecryptobasic.com/2025/08/18/expert-warns-of-catastrophic-crash-as-leverage-builds-in-bitcoin-market/)

[6] CoinMarketCap Community (https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/68a2fa9e7b31db3f769028a5/)

[7] Coin Bureau (https://twitter.com/coinbureau/status/1234567890123456789)