TL;DR
- Ethereum remains under pressure despite clear signs of accumulation across spot and futures markets.
- ETH currently trades near $2,130 after gaining 1.4% over the last 24 hours, though the asset still sits below recent local highs.
- Analysts believe persistent sell-side liquidity and cautious macro sentiment continue limiting upward momentum even as long positions and whale accumulation steadily increase.
Ethereum continues to struggle with downward pressure even while trading data points to sustained buyer interest across the market. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization has failed to fully recover after falling nearly 15% in less than two weeks, raising concerns about whether ETH could retest lower support zones again.
Ethereum Falls Despite Aggressive Buying
“Aggressive buying exists in both spot and futures, but it is being absorbed by limit sell orders / available supply placed in the market.” – By @oro_crypto pic.twitter.com/gGc4QjjiZ6
— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) May 25, 2026
Recent market activity shows Ethereum declined from approximately $2,375 earlier this month to nearly $2,030 before stabilizing around the $2,130 level. Although ETH recorded a 1.4% daily gain, bullish momentum remains limited as sellers continue defending major resistance areas.
Ethereum Accumulation Signals Remain Strong
Trading metrics suggest Ethereum continues attracting aggressive buy activity across both spot and futures markets. Analysts monitoring exchange flows and cumulative volume data report that long positioning still dominates despite the recent correction.
Meanwhile, spot market participation has slowed significantly. Daily ETH trading volume dropped from more than 470,000 ETH to roughly 257,000 ETH within less than two weeks, reflecting a more cautious approach from short-term traders.
Futures market participation remains relatively stable as open interest holds close to $15.5 billion. Funding rates also stayed positive throughout the decline, indicating that many traders continue positioning for a rebound rather than closing their long exposure.
Some market observers view the current setup as a sign that larger investors are gradually accumulating ETH during periods of weakness instead of reducing exposure. Exchange reserve data has also shown a steady decline in available ETH balances, a trend often associated with long-term holding behavior.
Ethereum Faces Resistance Near $2,200
Despite stronger buying activity, Ethereum continues facing heavy resistance near the $2,200 range. Analysts believe large sell orders and available liquidity on exchanges are absorbing incoming demand before bullish momentum can fully develop.
Macroeconomic uncertainty also continues affecting digital assets. Concerns surrounding U.S. monetary policy and broader market volatility have reduced appetite for higher-risk assets, particularly across the altcoin sector.
Even so, Ethereum’s ecosystem remains active. Layer-two networks continue expanding transaction volume, staking participation remains elevated, and developers keep advancing scaling improvements aimed at lowering costs and increasing efficiency across the network.
If accumulation trends continue and broader market sentiment improves, ETH could attempt another breakout above recent resistance levels.
