Ethereum News Today: Retail Traders Defy Institutional Exodus, Accumulate ETH Amid Chaos

Ethereum (ETH) fell below $3,400 on November 4, marking its first negative performance for 2025 and triggering over $1.1 billion in crypto liquidations within 24 hours, according to a BeinCrypto report. The price drop, a steepest daily decline in months, erased all year-to-date gains for the second-largest cryptocurrency and pushed Bitcoin (BTC) near $100,000—a level last seen in June. Over 303,000 traders were liquidated, with $287 million in long positions wiped out in a single hour, underscoring extreme leverage unwinds across major exchanges.

Amid the turmoil, on-chain data revealed significant activity by Ethereum whales. A major whale covered a 66,000 ETH short position, securing a $24.48 million profit by repaying the loan and redeploying 482 million USDC collateral to Binance, Coinotag reported. Meanwhile, another whale offloaded 5,500 ETH at a loss, part of a broader trend of large holders adjusting positions amid volatility. Notably, the same entity that withdrew 110,000 ETH from Binance in a single day—valued at $386 million—shifted from shorting to buying, signaling a potential market bottom, according to LookonChain.

Ethereum's price action has drawn attention to liquidity shifts. A whale deposited 3,000 ETH into Binance, adding to a position that has generated $14.8 million in estimated gains since 2023, Coinotag reported. Conversely, another large holder faced a $1.08 million loss after moving 6.8 million ASTER tokens back to Binance, highlighting the risks of high-stakes positioning, Coinotag reported. These movements reflect a market grappling with leveraged bets and shifting sentiment, as the BeinCrypto report also noted the Relative Strength Index (RSI) for both ETH and BTC approached oversold levels.

The selloff extended beyond Ethereum, with Bitcoin and altcoins like Solana and BNB experiencing aggressive unwinding. Retail traders, however, showed resilience, continuing to accumulate ETH despite institutional exits. Analysts attribute the decline to macroeconomic pressures and speculative unwinding, though some see buying opportunities in the dip.

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