|

Ethereum Price Prediction: ETH building overhead pressure threatens losses to $1,200

  • Ethereum’s recovery stalls at $1,700, opening the door to the ongoing bearish pressure.
  • The IOMAP reveals the presence of intense selling pressure ahead of Ether.
  • If the 50-day SMA and the ascending channel’s lower edge support holds, losses eyeing $1,200 will be averted.

Ethereum made a remarkable recovery following the slump to $1,400 from highs above $2,000. The dip allowed investors to join the market at a lower price, anticipating a quick rise back to the new all-time highs of $2,040—a barrier at $1,700 cut short the gains, forcing Ether to see refuge at $1,600.

Ethereum bulls concentrate on holding key support

Ether is dancing at $1,608 at the time of writing. It is trading slightly above an ascending channel’s lower boundary. Increasing selling pressure puts this support in jeopardy. Note that if broken, Ethereum would be vulnerable to losses eyeing $1,200.

The 4-hour chart vividly illustrates a bearish picture based on the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD). This indicator, when used accurately, can suggest positions for selling the top and buying the dip positions.

Ether is in a bearish trend, as reinforced by the MACD line (blue) crossing below the signal line. Besides, the wide divergence between the two lines shows that bears have more influence.

If Ethereum slices through the channel’s resistance and fails to find support at the 50 Simple Moving Average, losses may extend to $1,400 and $1,200, respectively.

ETH/USD 4-hour chart

ETH/USD 4-hour chart

The IOMAP model by IntoTheBlock (ITB) cements the bears’ influence over the price by revealing the massive resistance zone between $1,645 and $1,693. In this range, nearly 374,000 addresses had previously bought approximately 8 million ETH. Trading above this zone will not be a walk in the park; thus, recovery may take longer to materialize.

On the flip side, Ethereum is sitting on relatively weak support areas, in turn, adding credibility to the bearish notion. However, the model brings our attention to subtle buyer congestion between $1,550 and $1,596. Here, roughly 366,000 addresses are currently profiting from the approximately 2.4 million ETH bought in the zone. In other words, this support area is not strong enough to hold Ethereum for long.

Ethereum IOMAP chart

Ethereum IOMAP chart

Looking at the other side of the fence

Ethereum’s uptrend is in jeopardy, but not all is lost for the bulls. Holding above the ascending channel’s lower edge will give buyers a chance to focus on levels at $1,700 and $2,000. Support at this level will also encourage the bulls hiding on the sidelines to return to the market and contribute to the impeding tailwind.

Author

John Isige

John Isige

FXStreet

John Isige is a seasoned cryptocurrency journalist and markets analyst committed to delivering high-quality, actionable insights tailored to traders, investors, and crypto enthusiasts. He enjoys deep dives into emerging Web3 tren

More from John Isige
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

Crypto market outlook for 2026

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).

Sberbank issues Russia's first corporate loan backed by Bitcoin

Russia's largest bank Sberbank launched the country's first Bitcoin-backed corporate loan to miner Intelion Data. The pilot deal uses cryptocurrency as collateral through Sberbank's proprietary Rutoken custody solution.

Bitcoin recovers to $87,000 as retail optimism offsets steady ETF outflows

Bitcoin (BTC) trades above $88,000 at press time on Tuesday, following a rejection at $90,000 the previous day. Institutional support remains mixed amid steady outflow from US spot BTC Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Strategy Inc.’s acquisition of 1,229 BTC last week.

Traders split over whether lighter’s LIT clears $3 billion FDV after launch

Lighter’s LIT token has not yet begun open trading, but the market has already drawn a sharp line around its valuation after Tuesday's airdrop.

Orange Juice Newsletter – Smart insights by real people. Every day.

A free newsletter highlighting key market trends to help traders stay a step ahead. Daily insights on the most relevant trading topics, compiled by our experts in an easy-to-read format so you never miss an important move.

Bitcoin: Fed delivers, yet fails to impress BTC traders

Bitcoin (BTC) continues de trade within the recent consolidation phase, hovering around $92,000 at the time of writing on Friday, as investors digest the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) cautious December rate cut and its implications for risk assets.