This year, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum (ETH), has remained in the shadow while Bitcoin (BTC) soared to all-time highs, fueled by the advent of new American exchange-traded funds (ETFs) designed to track its price. However, with the imminent arrival of ETFs for Ethereum, many market participants predict a significant price surge for Ethereum, potentially exceeding its November 2021 peak of $4,867.60.
Related: Spot Bitcoin ETF Options Under Scrutiny by U.S. CFTC
Price Growth and ETF Prospects
Currently, Ethereum has approximately half the spot liquidity compared to Bitcoin, as noted by Thomas Perfumo, Head of Strategy at cryptocurrency exchange Kraken. This means that it will take a smaller absolute amount of dollars entering the market to have a comparable impact on Ethereum’s price.
The introduction of ETFs for Ethereum could lead to a substantial influx of capital into the cryptocurrency. Drawing parallels with Bitcoin, which reached new heights thanks to ETFs, Ethereum might anticipate a similar trajectory. ETFs will allow a larger number of institutional and retail investors to easily access Ethereum, potentially driving up demand significantly.
Related: Hong Kong Spot ETFs Amass $1.96B in Bitcoin, $26M in Ether
Ethereum’s Technological Superiority
Ethereum is renowned for its unique technological capabilities. Unlike Bitcoin, which is primarily used as a store of value, Ethereum provides a platform for creating and deploying decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. With the transition to a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism under the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade, Ethereum has become more energy-efficient and scalable, which could attract more users and developers.
Related: Significance of the US Spot Bitcoin Options Launch
Conclusion
The impending arrival of ETFs for Ethereum, combined with its technological advantages, sets the stage for a substantial price increase. Although Ethereum’s spot liquidity is lower than Bitcoin’s, this could play to investors’ advantage, as even small capital inflows could lead to significant price movements. Thus, Ethereum’s “star hour” appears to be on the horizon.