Ethereum
Ethereum Founder Buterin Lays Out Possible Futures For ETH

In a blog post released on October 14, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin outlined potential future enhancements for the Ethereum protocol, focusing on technical improvements to its proof-of-stake (PoS) system. Titled “Possible futures of the Ethereum protocol, part 1: The Merge,” the post delves into strategies to improve stability, performance, and accessibility while addressing centralization risks.
First, Buterin reflects on Ethereum’s successful transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake aka “The Merge” nearly two years ago, noting that “this proof of stake has performed remarkably well in stability, performance and avoiding centralization risks.” However, he emphasized that “there still remain some important areas in which proof of stake needs to improve.”
Future Enhancements For Ethereum
One of the primary focuses of the post is achieving single slot finality and reducing the minimum staking requirement to democratize participation in the network. Currently, it takes 2-3 epochs (approximately 15 minutes) to finalize a block, and a minimum of 32 ETH is required to become a validator. Buterin highlights the conflict between minimizing the staking requirement, reducing finality time, and minimizing node overhead.
“Today, it takes 2-3 epochs (~15 min) to finalize a block, and 32 ETH is required to be a staker,” he wrote. He identified the goals of finalizing blocks in one slot and allowing validators to stake with as little as 1 ETH. “Poll after poll repeatedly show that the main factor preventing more people from solo staking is the 32 ETH minimum,” Buterin notes.
To address these challenges, he discusses several approaches. One involves implementing better signature aggregation protocols, potentially using zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-SNARKs), to process signatures from millions of validators in each slot. Another approach is the introduction of Orbit Committees, a mechanism where a randomly selected medium-sized committee finalizes the chain while preserving the cost-of-attack properties. “Orbit takes advantage of pre-existing heterogeneity in validator deposit sizes to get as much economic finality as possible, while still giving small validators a proportionate role,” he explains.
Buterin also considers creating a two-tiered staking system with different deposit requirements, where only the higher-deposit tier is directly involved in providing economic finality. He acknowledges that “the risks depend heavily on the specific rights that the lower staking tier gets,” and that certain designs could lead to centralization.
Addressing security vulnerabilities related to Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks on known validators, Buterin proposes the implementation of Single Secret Leader Election (SSLE) protocols. “The best way to fix the DoS issue is to hide the information about which validator is going to produce the next block, at least until the moment when the block is actually produced,” he states.
SSLE protocols use cryptographic techniques to create “blinded” validator IDs, ensuring that only the owner of a blinded ID can generate a valid proof to propose a block without others knowing their identity. However, Buterin acknowledges the challenges: “We highly value Ethereum being a reasonably simple protocol, and we do not want complexity to increase further. SSLE implementations that we’ve seen add hundreds of lines of spec code, and introduce new assumptions in complicated cryptography.”
He also explored methods to reduce Ethereum’s transaction confirmation time from the current 12 seconds to as low as 4 seconds, emphasizing the value of decreasing confirmation times for improving user experience and aiding decentralized Layer 2 solutions. Strategies include reducing slot times and allowing proposers to publish pre-confirmations over the course of a slot. However, Buterin cautions about potential centralization risks and the need for proper incentives, noting that “if we add an attester-proposer separation mechanism, then execution blocks will not need SSLE, because we could rely on block builders being specialized.”
Buterin also touches on additional critical areas, including 51% attack recovery. He suggests that while full automation is impossible, “we can achieve partial automation […] ensuring that the bad guys in an attack at least cannot get a quick clean victory.” He also considers increasing the quorum threshold for block finalization from 67% to 80% to enhance security, arguing that “this seems a much healthier situation than ‘the wrong side’ getting an instant victory.”
Concluding his blog post, Buterin warns of the importance to prepare for the potential threat of quantum computers capable of breaking current cryptographic systems: “This justifies conservatism in the assumptions around performance of proof-of-stake designs, and also is a cause to be more proactive to develop quantum-resistant alternatives.”
At press time, ETH traded at $2,524.

Featured image from Bloomberg, chart from TradingView.com
Ethereum
$2,300 Emerges As The Most Crucial Resistance

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As Ethereum (ETH) continues to experience a significant price downturn, recording a 17% drop over the past month, key resistance levels have emerged as critical points for the second-largest cryptocurrency. Analysts suggest that these levels could ignite a potential trend reversal if reclaimed.
Ethereum Faces Potential Decline To $1,155
In a recent update shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), crypto analyst Ali Martinez highlighted two pivotal price points for Ethereum’s immediate future.
The first, set at $2,100, is seen as a necessary threshold for initiating a new upward trend. However, the $2,300 mark is regarded as a “more decisive” level that Ethereum must breach to confirm a bullish reversal.
Related Reading
Martinez’s analysis, based on the one-day chart seen below, indicates that if Ethereum fails to reclaim these levels, it may lead to a further decline.

The next target points to watch would be $1,600 and $1,155, levels that could indicate a new downtrend. Such a decline would represent additional losses of 12% and over 37%, respectively, marking a troubling continuation of Ethereum’s worst first quarter in its history.
In another post, the analyst also pointed out that the Ethereum price is facing a significant resistance wall between $2,200 and $2,580. On-chain data from the analytics firm IntoTheBlock reveals that approximately 12.43 million investors have bought about 66.18 million ETH within this price range.
A breakout above these levels could potentially generate bullish momentum for the cryptocurrency. However, bullish catalysts that could trigger a move above these levels remain scarce among experts.
ETH’s Largest Accumulation Zone Under Threat
Market intelligence firm Glassnode has indicated that ETH’s Cost Basis Distribution shows limited support near current prices. Weekly data suggests that addresses with a cost basis around $1,800 have not re-engaged. Many investors are reportedly selling at a loss, further adding to the current price uncertainty.
On March 28, several clusters of approximately 250,000 ETH with cost bases between $2,000 and $2,050 effectively vanished, indicating that some higher-cost holders are attempting to average down their positions.
However, Glassnode asserts that the overall Ethereum accumulation zone appears limited at current price levels, raising questions about future stabilization for the second largest cryptocurrency.
Related Reading
The largest accumulation zone below the current market price now sits at $1,537, where nearly 994,000 ETH was acquired. If the downtrend continues, this level is expected to serve as structural support in the near term, potentially providing a buffer against further declines.
ETH is currently trading at $1,830, down 12% for the week.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Ethereum
Ethereum May Have To Undo This Death Cross For Bull’s Return


A quant has revealed how Ethereum (ETH) saw a death cross in this indicator shortly before bearish momentum took the asset in full force.
Ethereum Formed A Death Cross In Funding Rates Earlier
In a CryptoQuant Quicktake post, an analyst has shared a chart for the Funding Rates of Ethereum. The “Funding Rates” refers to a metric that keeps track of the amount of periodic fee that traders on the derivatives market are exchanging between each other right now.
When the value of this indicator is positive, it means the long contract holders are paying a premium to the short investors in order to hold onto their positions. Such a trend suggests a bullish sentiment is shared by the majority of the derivatives traders.
On the other hand, the metric being under the zero mark implies a bearish mentality is dominant in the sector, as short holders are overwhelming the long ones.
Now, here is the chart for the Ethereum Funding Rates posted by the quant, which shows the trend in the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) of the indicator over the last couple of years:
Looks like these two lines saw a crossover earlier in the year | Source: CryptoQuant
As displayed in the above graph, the 50-day SMA of the Ethereum Funding Rates crossed under the 200-day SMA in January of this year. This suggests that the optimism in the market witnessed a shift.
From the graph, it’s visible that since the crossover in the two SMAs of the indicator has emerged, the ETH price has been sharply moving down. The trend isn’t unique to the asset, as the wider cryptocurrency sector has also seen a similar pattern, with investors becoming risk-averse.
In the first half of last year, the Funding Rates observed the same type of crossover, and then, the Ethereum price followed up with a period of bearish action.
It wasn’t until the reverse crossover happened, with the 50-day SMA finding a break above the 200-day SMA, that bullish momentum returned in the cryptocurrency market. The same pattern was also seen back in 2023.
It’s possible that for constructive price action to return for Ethereum and other assets, a bullish crossover in the Funding Rates may once again have to take place. “When the speculators return and start using their greedy leverage, the crypto bull market will begin,” notes the analyst.
When this would happen, however, is anyone’s guess, as the 50-day and 200-day SMAs of the indicator are currently quite far apart. In 2024, the lines took many months before they crossed back, so it’s possible that it will take some time for the crossover to occur now as well.
ETH Price
Ethereum is moving to end the month of March on a red note as its price has fallen to the $1,800 level, after seeing a decline of almost 14% in the past week.
The trend in the ETH price over the last five days | Source: ETHUSDT on TradingView
Featured image from Dall-E, CryptoQuant.com, chart from TradingView.com

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Ethereum
Ethereum’s Price Dips, But Investors Seize The Opportunity To Stack Up More ETH


Comparing current price action with past performances, Ethereum, the second-largest crypto asset, seems to have witnessed its worst-ever first quarter as it draws closer to its end. However, many investors are expressing interest in ETH’s prospects again, purchasing the asset in huge chunks.
Investors Buying The Ethereum’s Price Dip
Ethereum has continued to struggle to undergo a major upward move even as other digital assets make history in the ongoing market cycle. Despite the recent pullback in ETH’s price, Ali Martinez, a seasoned crypto analyst and trader, has highlighted a renewed bullish sentiment among investors.
Specifically, investors are seizing the opportunity to stack up on ETH in light of ongoing price correction, signaling interest and confidence in the asset’s long-term potential. This buying activity suggests that seasoned traders are considering the current drop as a strategic entry or buying point.
According to Ali Martinez, the development was spotted as Ethereum encountered a significant resistance wall between the $2,200 and $2,580 price mark. Examining the data from IntoTheBlock, the expert reported that over 12.43 million investors purchased a massive portion of 66.18 million ETH within the $2,200 and $2,580 price zones.
These kinds of accumulation show that both retail and institutional investors are hopeful about the market. Should this substantial buying activity extend, Ali Martinez is confident that bullish momentum might build up for ETH, leading to a break above the zone.

Market analyst and trader CryptoELITES predicts a robust upswing for ETH to new all-time highs in the upcoming weeks. CryptoELITES prediction is based on past price trends in which ETH witnessed a massive rally after a lengthy period of downward movements.
Delving into the recent price action, the expert believes ETH’s correction has reached a bottom similar to the 2017 and 2021 bull market cycles. With the altcoin potentially reaching a bottom, CryptoELITES anticipates an over 700% upsurge in 2025.
A 700% surge will bring the altcoin’s price to the $15,000 milestone before the ongoing bull market cycle completes. Given that Ethereum is mirroring past trends, a possible price reversal could be on the horizon.
ETH Eyeing A Breakout From Key Chart Pattern
While ETH is facing volatility, it is presently at a critical junction that might determine its next move. Jonathan Carter, a crypto and technical analyst, reveals that Ethereum is holding above the lower boundary of a Descending Triangle formation after navigating its price in the 4-hour time frame.
At this zone, the asset might muster enough momentum for a rebound. Carter expects a bounce from the current support zone to push ETH toward key resistance levels at $1,950, $2,080, $2,230, and $2,320. However, if the altcoin falls below the support, the price may drop further to the downside.
Featured image from Pexels, chart from Tradingview.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
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