Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Price Action at $4,545 Mirrors 2017 Cycle With Institutional Support and ETF Inflows

Ethereum has drawn comparisons to its 2017 bull market cycle, with current price action around $4,545 suggesting a similar accumulation, bear trap, and breakout pattern. Analysts highlight structural parallels between the two cycles, noting a recent consolidation phase near $3,500 and a false breakout lower in early 2025, followed by a rebound toward $4,545. This pattern mirrors the 2017 chart, which saw repeated resistance before forming a bear trap that ultimately led to a 5,000% rally [1]. Merlijn The Trader emphasized that the setup is nearly identical, with institutional support, ETF inflows, and growing liquidity potentially amplifying the current move [1].

The 2017 cycle saw Ethereum struggle around $17 before breaking out above $300, and the 2025 cycle appears to be following a similar path. With Ethereum’s price maintaining an ascending trend, analysts project that the next major resistance levels sit at $4,780 and $4,950 [1]. If the market continues to align with broader crypto trends—particularly Bitcoin’s price trajectory—targets of $7,500 to $8,500 are being discussed [1].

Institutional adoption is playing a more prominent role in this cycle. According to Standard Chartered, record inflows into Ethereum-based ETFs and regulated financial products are limiting short-term selling pressure and supporting long-term accumulation [1]. This institutional backing contrasts with the retail-driven 2017 rally, signaling a more mature market dynamic.

The Ethereum ecosystem also shows robust activity, with total value locked (TVL) at $92.5 billion, close to 2021 levels [1]. Daily chain fees reached $682,280, and stablecoin capitalization connected to Ethereum stood at $142.8 billion. Layer 2 solutions such as Arbitrum, Optimism, and zkSync have contributed to scaling by reducing congestion and transaction costs [1]. Active addresses have surpassed 484,000 in a single day, indicating continued user participation across decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms and staking protocols [1].

TradingView data shows Ethereum maintaining strong momentum near $4,500, with key resistance levels ahead. As the market awaits a potential breakout, the historical pattern and current fundamentals suggest that Ethereum could be entering a critical phase akin to 2017, albeit with stronger institutional participation and technological maturity.

Source: [1] Ethereum Mirrors 2017 Cycle as $4,545 Price Action Signals Accumulation, Fakeout, and Breakout Setup (https://cryptofrontnews.com/ethereum-mirrors-2017-cycle-as-4545-price/)