Ethereum ETFs have closed yet another week in the red, recording net outflows amid continued investor hesitation.
Notably, there has been no single week of net inflows since the end of February, highlighting waning institutional interest in ETH-related products.
Ethereum ETFs Face Steady Outflows
Ethereum-backed ETFs have recorded their seventh consecutive week of net outflows, highlighting sustained institutional hesitance toward the asset.
This week alone, net outflows from spot ETH ETFs totaled $82.47 million, marking a 39% surge from the $49 million recorded in outflows the previous week.
Total Ethereum Spot ETF Net Inflow. Source: SosoValue
With the steady decline in institutional presence in the ETH market, the selling pressure on the coin has soared.
Over the past week, ETH’s price has declined by 11%. The steady outflows from the funds backed by the coin suggest that the downward momentum may persist, increasing the likelihood of a price drop below the $1,500 mark.
On the price chart, technical indicators remain bearish, confirming the mounting pressure from the selling side of the market. For example, at press time, readings from ETH’s Directional Movement Index (DMI) show its positive directional index (+DI) resting below the negative directional index (-DI).
The DMI indicator measures the strength of an asset’s price trend. It consists of two lines: the +DI, which represents upward price movement, and the -DI, which represents downward price movement.
As with ETH, when the +DI rests below the -DI, the market is in a bearish trend, with downward price movement dominating the market sentiment.
Ethereum’s Price Could Drop Below $1,500
The lack of institutional capital could delay any significant rebound in ETH price, further dampening short-term prospects for recovery. If demand leans further, ETH could break out of its narrow range and follow a downward trend.
The altcoin could fall below $1,500 in this scenario to reach $1,395.
As Bitcoin flirts with the key psychological threshold of $100,000, derivatives traders are closely watching for signals that could mark the final leg up—and are already positioning for what may follow.
Derivatives experts Gordon Grant and Joshua Lim told BeInCrypto that Bitcoin’s move past $100,000 now reflects a long-term holding strategy, unlike the speculative trading seen when it first crossed that threshold after Trump’s election victory.
Bitcoin Nears $100K: A Different Kind of Ascent?
At the time of press, Bitcoin’s price hovers just below $98,000. As it grows, traders anxiously watch for it to surpass the $100,000 threshold. When it does, it will be the second time in crypto history that this will happen.
According to Cryptocurrency Derivatives Trader Gordon Grant, the current move toward six figures lacks the euphoric energy of past rallies, such as the one after Trump won the US general election last November. However, that may be a good thing.
“This current bounce back feels much more of a low-key, lethargic reclamation of those highs,” Grant told BeInCrypto, referencing Bitcoin’s recovery from lows around $75,000 in early April. “The positioning rinsedown through all key moving averages… was a proper washout.”
He added that this washout, a sharp move lower that flushed out weak hands, cleared the decks for a healthier rebound. A “high-velocity bounce” followed, as Grant phrased it.
“[It] has since responsibly slowed down at the $95,000 pivot—a level at which Bitcoin has been centered, +/- 15%, for over five months now,” he added.
“Current complacency among vol sellers in fading the technical threshold at $100K is markedly different,” he said.
Grant added that, back in December, volatility spiked on expectations of a rapid moonshot toward $130,000–$150,000. Now, however, implied volatility has actually fallen by around 10 points during the final 10% of Bitcoin’s climb—an unusual dynamic that has punished traders holding out-of-the-money options who were betting on big price swings.
This time, the substantial loss of market optimism also contributes to the situation.
The Rise of Institutional Buyers
Market sentiment has shifted significantly since January. The excitement seen during Trump’s election has been replaced by uncertainty. According to Grant, souring macro conditions such as tariff-driven equity selloffs and growing caution among traders have contributed to this mood shift across markets.
“Whereas BTC on first launch to/through $100K was accompanied by euphoria about presidential policies… the re-approach has been marred by malaise,” Grant explained.
In short, the motivation to buy may now be driven more by fear than greed.
Joshua Lim, Global Co-Head of Markets at FalconX, agreed with this analysis, highlighting a notable shift in the primary source of Bitcoin demand.
“The dominant narrative is more around Microstrategy-type equities accumulating Bitcoin, that’s more consistent buyers than the retail swing traders,” Lim told BeInCrypto.
In other words, more speculative retail buying might have fueled earlier enthusiasm around Bitcoin’s price hitting $100,000. This time, the more consistent and significant buying is coming from large companies adopting a long-term Bitcoin holding strategy, similar to the one adopted by Michael Saylor’s Strategy.
The recent formation of 21 Capital, backed by mega companies like Tether and Softbank, further confirms this shift in motivation.
Consistent institutional buying can also sustain an increase in Bitcoin’s price over time.
Why Are Institutions Increasingly Bullish on Bitcoin?
With growing momentum from sovereign players and corporate treasuries, institutional buying may be critical in sustaining Bitcoin’s next upward trajectory.
Grant highlighted that developing countries seeking to move away from a weakening dollar and towards a more independent asset like Bitcoin could play a significant role. If this were to happen, it’d signify a potentially tectonic shift to global monetary policy.
“The Global South, tiring of wonky and inconstant dollar policies, may be truly thinking about dumping dollars for BTC,” Grant explained, clarifying, “That’s a reserve manager decision, not a spec/leverage position.”
Increased institutional adoption strengthens the idea that Bitcoin now serves as a way to reduce risk against issues pertinent to financial systems, like inflation or currency devaluation.
“The proliferation of SMLR, 21Cap, and many others, including NVDA deciding they need to derisk their balance sheets by rerisking on BTC—even as it approaches the top decile of all-time prices,” Grant pointed to as evidence.
Simply put, even large institutions are choosing to take on the risk of Bitcoin’s price fluctuations as a potential offset to other, potentially larger financial risks.
Despite the excitement surrounding Bitcoin’s approach to $100,000, the true anticipation centers on its continuing development as an increasingly permanent component of the financial system.
XRP is up 7% over the last week of April, but May 2025 could bring even bigger moves as major catalysts line up. Key metrics like NUPL and active addresses show a market at a crossroads, with strong optimism and warning signs.
Hype around ETF approvals has stirred volatility, and real institutional inflows could decide XRP’s next major trend. Traders should prepare for a month where both sharp rallies and deep corrections remain firmly on the table.
XRP NUPL Signals Rising Confidence, but ETF Rumors Stir Volatility
XRP Long-Term Holders Net Unrealized Profit/Loss (NUPL) is currently at 0.73. This places it firmly in the “Belief – Denial” stage of the market cycle. The indicator measures the average unrealized profit among long-term holders.
It has been stuck in this zone since March 27, over a month ago. In general, NUPL values above 0.75 indicate “Euphoria—greed.”
Readings between 0.5 and 0.75 show belief that prices can rise, but there is also the risk of denial if momentum weakens.
The current value has risen from 0.68 three weeks ago to 0.73 today. Long-term XRP holders are seeing larger paper gains. Still, the market could soon face a critical moment where either continuation or a correction emerges.
Rumors about an SEC-approved spot XRP ETF have recently caused confusion, adding more fuel to market volatility. In reality, only ProShares’ leveraged and short XRP Futures ETFs were approved to begin trading on April 30. A true spot ETF has not been approved.
Although the futures approval is seen as a positive step for XRP’s long-term legitimacy, spreading false information has damaged investor confidence. It has also created unnecessary instability.
Some experts predict that a future spot ETF could eventually drive up to $100 billion in capital inflows into XRP. However, until that happens, volatility driven by rumors and miscommunication remains a major risk for the token.
XRP User Engagement Slows as Active Addresses Stay Below 200,000
XRP’s 7-day active addresses have dropped significantly, currently at 147,000, compared to their all-time high of 1.22 million, which reached March 19.
Monitoring active addresses is crucial because it offers real-time insight into user engagement, transaction volume, and overall ecosystem health—lower address activity often signals waning interest, reduced transaction flow, and a softer foundation for sustained price growth.
Since April 1, XRP’s 7-day active address count has consistently stayed below 200,000, reinforcing that user activity has yet to recover fully.
While the drop does not necessarily mean a major price collapse is imminent, it highlights a critical point: strong rallies are often backed by growing network participation.
Without a meaningful pickup in active addresses, XRP could struggle to maintain momentum or ignite a new bullish phase soon.
XRP ETF Approval Could Trigger 49% Rally, But Downside Risks Remain
The final approval of a Spot XRP ETF could become a major catalyst for the token’s price. It would potentially unlock significant institutional inflows. Recently, the world’s first XRP ETF began trading in Brazil.
Experts predict that, if real demand follows the approval like it did with Bitcoin, XRP price could rally sharply. The next major upside target is $3.40, representing a 49% increase from current levels.
This move would be driven by fresh inflows, greater mainstream acceptance, and a tightening supply as more investors gain direct exposure through regulated channels.
On the downside, if momentum fails to recover and a strong downtrend takes hold, it could face a sharp correction. A break below the psychological $2.00 level would expose the token to deeper losses, with the next major support around $1.61.
Such a move would imply a 29% drop from current prices, reflecting a scenario where optimism around ETFs fades and selling pressure takes over.
In this case, XRP could remain stuck in a broader consolidation or bearish phase until stronger catalysts appear.
