Key takeaways
ETH is down 1.6% in the last 24 hours and has dropped below $4,200.
The bears are aiming for $4k as the broader crypto market experiences a sell-off.
ETH fails to defend its price above $4,200
Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, failed to hit a new all-time high last week and has since lost 10% of its value. It is currently down by 1.6% in the last 24 hours and now trades at $4,170 per coin.
The bearish performance comes as the broader cryptocurrency market experiences a sell-off. Bitcoin is down 8% since its all-time high milestone last week and temporarily dropped below $113k. XRP has dropped below $3 while Solana has failed to stay above $200.
Analysts believe that profit-taking is one of the primary reasons behind the bearish price action. In an email to Coinjournal, Ruslan Lienkha, chief of markets, YouHodler, stated that,
Profit-taking is indeed occurring at the moment, and in many cases, it reflects disciplined risk management. This is particularly true in the current environment, where institutional discussions increasingly emphasize that we may be entering the later stages of the bull market. A growing number of fund managers point out that U.S. equities appear overvalued, suggesting that the medium-term bullish trend could be approaching its end.
The analyst added that while long-term investors are generally less affected by these short-term dynamics, those operating within medium-term horizons, such as two- to three-year cycles, often adopt relative strategies that encourage them to secure gains when markets look stretched. In this context, realized profits may signal not so much a lack of confidence in further upside, but rather prudent portfolio management in anticipation of potential volatility.
ETH could drop to $4k as bears remain in control
The ETH/USD 4-hour chart has switched bearish despite the Ethereum price reaching a new yearly high of $4,788 on Thursday. The coin failed to continue its upward trend and declined nearly 14% since then.
At press time on Wednesday, it trades at around $4,170. The technical indicators are bearish, with the RSI (35) and the MACD lines showing a strong sell-off in the market.
If the daily resistance at $4,232 holds as resistance, ETH could dip towards its next key support at $3,946. An extended bearish run would see Ether retest the $3,300 low for the second time this month.
However, if ETH recovers and closes above the daily resistance at $4,232, the bulls could push its price higher and target the $4,488 level. It would need the support of the broader crypto market to hit the $4,788 yearly high.
