Data shows the Ethereum derivatives-related metrics have shot up recently, a sign that the price is at risk of going through a volatile storm.

Ethereum Open Interest & Leverage Ratio Have Both Spiked Recently

In a CryptoQuant Quicktake post, an analyst has discussed about the trend in the derivatives indicators of Ethereum. The metrics in question are the Open Interest and the Estimated Leverage Ratio.

First, the Open Interest keeps track of the total amount of ETH-related contracts that are currently open on all derivatives platforms. The metric naturally takes into account for both long and short positions.

When the value of this metric rises, it means the investors are opening up fresh positions on the market. Such a trend suggests derivatives trading interest in the coin is going up.

On the other hand, the indicator registering a drawdown implies positions in the market are going down. This could be because of investors willfully closing them up, or due to exchanges forcibly liquidating them.

Now, here is a chart that shows the trend in the Ethereum Open Interest over the last few years:

The value of the metric appears to have been shooting up in recent days | Source: CryptoQuant

The above graph shows that the Ethereum Open Interest has witnessed rapid growth recently. It has surpassed the previous all-time high (ATH) to set a new record above $13 billion.

When considering the timeframe of the past four months, the indicator has increased by over 40%, which suggests an explosion in speculative interest around the cryptocurrency has occurred.

This development, however, may not be the healthiest, as the trend in the second indicator of relevance, the Estimated Leverage Ratio, would suggest. This metric measures the ratio between the Open Interest and the Derivatives Exchange Reserve.

The Derivatives Exchange Reserve is naturally just the total amount of the cryptocurrency sitting in wallets associated with all centralized derivatives exchanges.

The Estimated Leverage Ratio tells us the amount of leverage or loan that the average derivatives user in the Ethereum market is currently opting for.

Below is a chart for this indicator.

Looks like the value of the metric has been heading up over the last few weeks | Source: CryptoQuant

From the graph, it’s apparent that the Ethereum Estimated Leverage Ratio has shot up recently. This would mean that the increase in the Open Interest has been more rapid than the rise in the Derivatives Exchange Reserve.

The investors are now sitting on all-time high (ATH) leverage, which can be a bad sign for ETH as it implies any volatility in the future could take down the overleveraged positions and induce a mass liquidation event called a squeeze.

The quant has pointed out that the Ethereum Funding Rate, a ratio between long and short positions, is positive right now, which suggests that if a squeeze is to happen shortly, it’s more likely to involve the bullish side of the market.

ETH Price

At the time of writing, Ethereum is floating around $3,000, down almost 7% over the past week.

The price of the coin seems to have been consolidating sideways recently | Source: ETHUSDT on TradingView

Featured image from Dall-E, CryptoQuant.com, chart from TradingView.com

• JustGiving now accepts over 60 cryptocurrencies for people to donate with
• 94% of crypto users are Millennials and Generation Z
• More than $2 billion has been donated to charitable causes over the past five years

UK-based fundraising platform JustGiving is teaming up with The Giving Block, a digital asset company, to start accepting crypto donations.

JustGiving now allows users to donate in more than 60 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and Doge, according to a report from UK Fundraising. The move comes as the crypto market is experiencing a surge in value, with Bitcoin recording a new all-time high of over $94,000 yesterday on CoinMarketCap.

According to JustGiving’s website, over the past 24 years, the fundraising platform has raised $7.2 billion (£6 billion) and is trusted by thousands of charities worldwide, including the Alzheimer’s Society, the British Heart Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Mind.

Pascale Harvie, President and General Manager of JustGiving, said:

“In recent years there has been a surge in the use of cryptocurrencies and our decision to enable cryptocurrency donations is the latest demonstration of our commitment to forward-thinking innovation.”

Tapping into a tech-savvy demographic is also key. According to JustGiving, 94% of crypto users are Millennials and Gen Z.

Alex Wilson, co-founder of The Giving Block, said that “charities need to tap into this new donor demographic,” adding:

“580 million people now use cryptocurrency around the world and the market is worth nearly $3 trillion. Our goal is to make accepting cryptocurrency donations just as easy as taking any other online donations.”

In a 2024 Annual Report from The Giving Block, it noted that more than $2 billion has been donated to charitable causes over the past five years.

Ethereum (ETH) has consolidated since November 12, when it hit a local high of $4,446. Despite Bitcoin’s impressive rally capturing market attention, Ethereum has struggled to maintain upward momentum and reclaim its yearly highs. The price action reflects a period of indecision, as ETH faces challenges in breaking through significant resistance levels that could reignite bullish sentiment.

Related Reading

While Ethereum lags behind Bitcoin in performance, analysts remain optimistic about its potential for a breakout. Notably, Carl Runefelt, a prominent crypto analyst, recently shared a technical analysis suggesting that ETH is on the verge of a major move.

According to Runefelt, Ethereum must push above a key resistance level to trigger a breakout and rejoin the broader market’s bullish trend.

As the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, Ethereum’s next steps will be crucial for traders and investors watching the market closely. A breakout above resistance could signal the start of a new upward phase, while continued consolidation might test the patience of market participants. With technical signals aligning and speculation building, Ethereum’s price action in the coming days will likely set the tone for its performance in the weeks ahead.

Ethereum Prepares To Surge

Ethereum has been underwhelming in its price action since March, struggling to keep pace with Bitcoin’s performance. Despite a few notable surges, ETH has yet to achieve the breakout investors eagerly anticipate. 

Related Reading: Solana Analyst Expects A Retrace Before It Breaks ATH – Targets Revealed

The prolonged consolidation has frustrated some traders, but an optimistic sentiment remains among those who believe Ethereum is poised for a significant rally once it clears key supply levels.

Top crypto analyst Carl Runefelt recently shared his technical analysis on X, highlighting Ethereum’s current position within a bullish flag pattern. According to Runefelt, ETH has attempted to break out of this formation for the past two weeks, facing stiff resistance at critical supply zones. However, he remains confident that it could rapidly surge to $4,150 once Ethereum breaches this level.

Such a move would mark a substantial percentage increase from current prices, sparking a wave of investor enthusiasm. The fear of missing out (FOMO) could drive additional buying momentum, creating a self-reinforcing price appreciation cycle. If ETH follows this trajectory, it would confirm the bullish flag breakout and signal Ethereum’s return to a dominant position in the crypto market.

ETH Price Action: Technical Details 

Ethereum is trading at $3,120 following several days of sideways consolidation below its recent local high of $3,446. Despite the pause in upward momentum, ETH has shown strength by surging above the critical 200-day moving average (MA), currently at $2,957, and maintaining its position above this key technical indicator.

The 200-day MA is often a pivotal line between bullish and bearish trends. Ethereum’s ability to stay above it signals robust support from buyers and growing confidence in the market. If ETH continues to hold this level, it could pave the way for a bullish surge, with the first target being the local top at $3,446.

Beyond that, a break above this resistance level could see ETH aiming for yearly highs near $4,000, reigniting enthusiasm among traders and investors. Such a move would likely confirm Ethereum’s return to a sustained uptrend, aligning it more closely with Bitcoin’s recent bullish performance.

Related Reading

However, losing the 200-day MA as support could introduce risks of a pullback, potentially sending ETH to retest lower levels. Ethereum’s price action remains strong, with the market eagerly watching for the next significant move.

Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView