Ethereum educator Sassal remains optimistic, stating there is "no bearish" factor apart from potential outflows from Grayscale’s ETH trust, ETHE. Sassal noted, "This entire run has now been retraced since the ETFs got approved on May 23rd…The main overhang for ETH right now, in my opinion, is the possible Grayscale ETHE outflows." He also mentioned possible regulatory clarity and likely Fed rate cuts in late 2024 as positive factors.
Despite these optimistic views, Ethereum has dropped harder than Bitcoin. As of now, BTC is down about 11% weekly, while ETH has declined 14%. This disproportionate decline has puzzled traders, especially with the expected ETH ETF launch in two weeks. Market observers suggest that ETH’s significant drop could be due to a lack of a strong narrative and potential ETHE outflows. User Evans noted, "Everyone fears grayscale unlock (more impactful in low-volume summer). The market is risk-off, and everyone expects little to no demand for ETH out of the gate."
The recent pullback in ETH hit the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level ($2.8K), which also acts as a crucial support level. Whether this support holds may depend on Bitcoin’s next move. Additionally, the bearish sentiment is further evidenced by negative outflows in the derivatives market, with ETH seeing net outflows totaling $4.5 billion since July 1, per Coinglass data.
The anticipated ETF launch has not provided the bullish momentum expected for Ethereum. The market's risk-off approach, coupled with potential Grayscale outflows, continues to weigh heavily on ETH, leaving its near-term prospects uncertain.