SEC delays call on Grayscale’s Ethereum ETF staking proposal

  • The SEC said it would defer its decision on the Grayscale ETFs until June 1.
  • A final ruling deadline is set for late October.
  • Ether’s market performance has lagged relative to peers in the current bull market.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed its decision on whether to permit Ether staking within two of Grayscale’s Ethereum funds, further drawing out a process closely watched by crypto market participants and asset managers.

In a notice dated April 14, the SEC said it would defer its decision on the Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF and the Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust ETF until June 1.

A final ruling deadline is set for late October. The delay comes two months after the New York Stock Exchange filed a proposed rule change on Grayscale’s behalf.

It would allow Ether ETF investors to stake their holdings, locking up cryptocurrency to support the network’s operations in exchange for yield.

Staking yields have become an important feature for potential Ether ETF investors.

Coinbase currently offers an estimated 2.4% annual yield on staked Ether, while rates on Kraken range between 2% and 7%.

Ether ETFs have seen a comparatively modest uptake since their 2024 debut, with cumulative net inflows of $2.28 billion according to Sosovalue — a sharp contrast to Bitcoin ETFs, which have attracted over $35.4 billion in inflows.

The race for Ethereum staking

Grayscale is not alone in its pursuit. BlackRock’s 21Shares iShares Ethereum Trust also filed for staking permissions in February and awaits SEC approval.

The delay underscores persistent regulatory caution surrounding staking services in publicly traded products, even as other facets of crypto ETFs advance.

On April 9, the SEC approved options trading for multiple spot Ether ETFs, including those from BlackRock, Bitwise, and Grayscale.

The move allows these funds to offer derivatives exposure.

This feature broadens their appeal to institutional players but stops short of addressing the core issue of yield generation through staking.

Ether underperformance 

Ether’s market performance has lagged relative to peers in the current bull market.

As of April 14, the token remains below $2,000, well off its 52-week high of $4,112 and still shy of its November 2021 all-time high of $4,866.

This underperformance stands in contrast to other digital assets like XRP and Solana, both of which have posted stronger gains in the latest rally.

The muted demand for Ether ETFs compared to their Bitcoin counterparts, alongside Ether’s relatively weak price action, reflects investor hesitancy amid regulatory ambiguity and market volatility.

The SEC’s ongoing delays around staking approvals only reinforce that uncertainty for now.

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Why Ethereum price may be on its way up after a disappointing quarter

  • Ethereum (ETH) price is showing recovery after falling to a low of $1,415.
  • Bullish patterns and DEX strength signal a potential ETH price rebound.
  • The upcoming Pectra update may drive ETH to $2,140.

Ethereum (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has endured a tough quarter, with its price recently dipping to $1,415, reflecting a steep 61% drop from its December peak.

This significant decline has cast Ethereum as a notable underperformer in the crypto market, sparking unease among investors and analysts.

However, after hitting a low of $1,415, the price has shown signs of recovery, climbing to around $1,623.42, hinting at a potential shift in momentum.

What caused the ETH price to drop this low?

The downturn in Ethereum’s price stems partly from internal problems, with David Hoffman, co-founder of Bankless, calling out the community’s leadership for alienating users and builders.

Hoffman points to hostile attitudes, like shaming the staking platform Lido Finance and criticizing certain traders, which may have shaken confidence in the ecosystem.

Ethereum Co-founder Vitalik Buterin, in an April 12 post on Warpcast, also emphasized the need for a strong social philosophy in Ethereum’s application layer to guide developers in building decentralized apps that align with its core values, citing projects like Railgun and Farcaster as positive examples.

Ethereum Co-founder Vitalik Buterin emphasizing the need for a strong social philosophy in Ethereum’s application layer

Beyond internal strife, Ethereum’s Layer 1 infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with newer blockchains, adding pressure to its valuation.

External forces, such as market volatility triggered by President Trump’s tariff announcements, have also fueled sell-offs across cryptocurrencies, dragging Ethereum down further.

Technical analysis signals a price rebound for Ethereum (ETH)

Despite the rocky 2025 start, several factors suggest that Ethereum could be gearing up for a rebound, offering hope to those watching its trajectory.

Technical analysis, however, paints a more optimistic picture, as chart patterns signal a possible reversal in Ethereum’s fortunes.

A falling wedge pattern has emerged on both daily and weekly charts, nearing a confluence level that often precedes a bullish breakout.

A falling wedge pattern has formed on the D1 Ethereum chart
Ethereum price chart by TradingView

Should this pattern play out, Ethereum (ETH) could climb to $2,140, a 35% jump from its current price.

An inverse head-and-shoulders pattern, another bullish indicator, is also taking shape on the one-day chart, strengthening the case for an upward move in the near term.

The RSI indicator also recently rebounded from the oversold region, signaling that the token could be on a bullish rebound, which could last for a while.

The Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) Z-score dipped to -0.832 before rebounding to around 0.98 at press time, indicating Ethereum is trading well below its historical average.

This metric implies that the cryptocurrency may be a bargain for investors, potentially sparking buying interest that could lift its price.

Historically, such undervaluation has often preceded periods of price appreciation, adding weight to the bullish outlook.

Ethereum-based DEXs outpacing rivals

Ethereum’s decentralized exchange (DEX) network continues to demonstrate resilience, providing another reason for optimism.

Despite competition from blockchains like Solana and Arbitrum, Ethereum’s DEXs processed over $17 billion in volume in the past week, outpacing rivals, according to data from DefiLlama.

This sustained activity highlights Ethereum’s ability to retain users and liquidity, even with higher fees, reinforcing its foundational strength.

Such robust performance suggests the network remains a cornerstone of the decentralized finance space, capable of weathering competitive pressures.

Valuation metrics further bolster the argument that Ethereum is primed for a recovery, as its current price appears undervalued.

The upcoming Ethereum Pectra update

Looking forward, the Pectra update, slated for May 7, 2025, promises to enhance Ethereum’s network, potentially reversing some of its recent setbacks.

This upgrade aims to tackle Layer 1 challenges, improving scalability and efficiency, which could restore faith among investors and developers.

A successful rollout might serve as a catalyst, driving Ethereum’s price higher as the market anticipates a more competitive blockchain.

Scheduled improvements like these signal Ethereum’s commitment to evolving, a factor that could reignite enthusiasm.

The combination of bullish technical patterns, a strong DEX ecosystem, undervaluation, and the promise of the Pectra update builds a solid case for recovery.

Investors would do well to keep an eye on resistance levels and sentiment shifts, yet the evidence points to Ethereum potentially rising from its disappointing quarter.

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Ethereum plunges as Donald Trump’s trade war batters crypto markets

  • Ethereum leads fresh crypto selloff amid Trump’s trade war.
  • Trump’s insistence on tariffs dims hopes of avoiding a trade conflict.
  • Ethereum fell over 6% to its lowest level since March 2023.

Ethereum (ETH-USD), the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, spearheaded a renewed wave of selling across the digital asset landscape on Wednesday.

The downturn comes as US President Donald Trump doubled down on his trade war, insisting on enforcing 104% tariffs on numerous Chinese goods, further diminishing hopes that a prolonged and damaging trade conflict could be averted.

Ethereum tumbled more than 6% to reach its lowest intra-day level since March 2023 before partially recovering to trade at $1,432 as of 9:51 a.m. in Singapore.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD), the market’s bellwether cryptocurrency, also experienced a decline, dropping more than 3% before regaining some ground, underlining the broad-based nature of the market downturn.

Tariff uncertainty dampens sentiment: a broader market pullback

Trump and top administration officials signaled on Tuesday that the US was open to potential dealmaking that could reduce or eliminate the higher tariffs imposed on dozens of nations, creating a brief glimmer of optimism.

However, Asian stocks sank, and wider financial markets were once again roiled as the president intensified pressure on China.

This whiplash effect has left investors wary and contributed to the risk-off sentiment across asset classes.

“People have given up”: crypto recovery hopes fade

“It seems like people have given up on a major recovery in crypto in the first half of the year,” Sean McNulty, head of APAC derivatives at digital-asset prime brokerage FalconX, told Bloomberg, reflecting the growing pessimism among market participants.

McNulty noted a surge in put options activity, with investors buying downside protection for Ether and Solana overnight, signaling a defensive positioning.

He also added that the next key support level for Bitcoin is around $65,000, highlighting the potential for further price declines if the sell-off continues.

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Shiba Inu, Ethereum prices waver as traders flock to this viral token

Economic uncertainties continue to keep buyers on the sidelines, causing most cryptos to record double-digit losses in recent months. While fear remains the key emotion within the crypto space, most tokens recorded a corrective rebound on Tuesday’s session as they strive to find their footing.

Even so, projects transforming the meme crypto space have maintained an upward momentum. Bitcoin Pepe, one such project has particularly captured the attention of enthusiasts looking to get the best from Bitcoin’s network and the meme culture. By building “Solana on Bitcoin” and developing the meme layer-2 solution on the unrivaled network, Bitcoin Pepe is “bringing the meme culture home”. 

Shiba Inu price records intraday rebounding as it finds its footing

Amid the heightened tariff jitters, Shiba Inu extended its losses to trade at a 13-month low on Monday’s session. However, it held steady above the crucial support zone of $0.00001. 

A look at its daily price chart shows the top meme coin trading below the 20 and 50-day EMAs; an indication that it is not out of the woods yet. In fact, it has been on a downtrend since December 2024 when the two MAs formed a bearish death cross pattern.

In the near term, $0.00001 will likely remain a steady support level as Shiba Inu price finds its footing along Monday’s intraday low of $0.00001025. On the upside, the resistance level along the 20-day EMA at $0.00001241 will be worth watching. 

Shiba Inu Price
Shiba Inu Price

Bitcoin Pepe has enthusiasts sold on bringing meme crypto “home”

Bitcoin Pepe has been causing ripples across the meme crypto space and has over $6.2 million to show for it. In 8 weeks, it has already sold out 7 stages as meme lovers overwhelmingly embrace this revolutionary project. Its success is founded on its infrastructure and growth potential.

As the only Bitcoin meme ICO, Bitcoin Pepe is merging two ultra-popular worlds; the meme culture and the reliable Bitcoin network. Indeed, some enthusiasts have indicated that the project is “bringing meme crypto home”. 

With the meme layer-2 solution on the Bitcoin network, its holders get to enjoy BTC’s unrivaled security, Solana-style transaction speed, lower fees, and the overall meme culture. Besides, the new PEP-20 standard allows for one to launch a meme coin on the unrivaled Bitcoin network. 

It is this one-of-a-kind infrastructure that has meme enthusiasts flocking to purchase BPEP tokens before they hit the public shelves in Q2. With its value set to surge by up to 100X once it launches, the current price of $0.0295 is irresistible. 

So far, early adopters have locked in cumulative gains of 33.8% as the token price increases by about 5% with every stage. By the end of the 30 stages, holders will have their capital investment surge by up to 311.4%.  Hurry up and buy Bitcoin Pepe here.

Ethereum price set for corrective rebound amid the heightened selling pressure 

Ethereum Price Chart
Ethereum Price Chart

Ethereum price has plunged by over 50% since the beginning of the year with internal challenges and macroeconomic chaos being key bearish drivers. As fear remains the key emotion driving the crypto market, the altcoin continues to experience immense selling pressure.

As seen on its daily price chart, ETH is in the oversold territory with an RSI of 29. However, the indicator is facing upwards; signaling a corrective rebound after it hit two year low on Monday at $1,415. In the near term, the bulls will be keen on defending that support level. On the upside, $1,750 will be a resistance zone worth watching. 

 

 

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Flight to safety? Crypto funds see outflows as investors fret over tariffs

  • Crypto ETPs faced $240 million in outflows last week due to US tariffs.
  • Bitcoin ETPs were the hardest hit, with $207 million in withdrawals.
  • The US led the outflows, followed by Germany.

Global cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) experienced a sharp reversal of fortune last week, with outflows totaling $240 million as investors grew wary of the potential economic impact of new US trade tariffs.

This marks a significant shift after two consecutive weeks of robust inflows, which had amounted to $870 million, according to a report in CoinMarketCap.

According to a CoinShares report, Bitcoin-related ETPs were the hardest hit, suffering withdrawals of $207 million, leaving the total assets under management at $132.6 billion – a modest 0.8% increase from the previous week.

The outflows were primarily concentrated in the United States, which saw $210 million withdrawn from its crypto funds.

Germany followed with $17.7 million in outflows, while Switzerland and Sweden also experienced net withdrawals.

In contrast, Canada and Brazil bucked the trend, with $4.8 million and $1.4 million, respectively, flowing into crypto funds.

Hong Kong and Australia also registered small inflows, offering a glimmer of optimism amid the broader market pullback.

Despite the recent setback, Bitcoin-related products still boast a year-to-date increase of $1.3 billion in investments.

However, the past week saw Bitcoin’s price plummet by more than 6%, largely due to tariff-related concerns and the pervasive economic uncertainty they sparked.

Beyond Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Solana, and Sui, also experienced significant outflows, as investor sentiment soured.

Ethereum saw $37.7 million withdrawn, while Solana and Sui experienced outflows of $1.8 million and $4.7 million, respectively.

On the other hand, smaller tokens like Toncoin enjoyed some positive movement, attracting $1.1 million in inflows.

Grayscale bleeds, BlackRock remains strong

Grayscale’s Bitcoin funds led the outflows, with $95 million in withdrawals last week.

This pushed Grayscale’s year-to-date outflows to a staggering $1.4 billion, the highest among all ETP providers, reflecting ongoing adjustments within the digital asset management landscape.

Conversely, BlackRock’s iShares ETFs, while experiencing $56 million in outflows last week, still boasted $3.2 billion in total inflows for the year, demonstrating their continued strength.

Other major players like ProShares and ARK Invest also saw continued inflows for the year, albeit in smaller amounts, with $398 million and $146 million, respectively.

While crypto ETPs experienced a downturn, the cryptocurrency equities market displayed greater resilience.

Blockchain stocks, including those of Coinbase, saw $8 million in inflows for the second consecutive week, suggesting investor confidence in the underlying infrastructure and businesses despite broader market anxieties.

Industry insiders, such as Marcin Kazmierczak from RedStone, suggest that the situation reflects wider market dynamics rather than a specific downturn in crypto assets.

The overall sentiment indicates that the crypto sector remains relatively robust, supported by continued institutional growth and the development of real-world applications.

Despite the notable outflows from global crypto funds last week, particularly those tied to Bitcoin, the enduring appeal of blockchain equities suggests that the market is far from collapsing.

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