Ethereum has recorded spot inflows for the first time in 10 days. This signals a resurgence in investor confidence ahead of the highly anticipated White House Crypto Summit scheduled for March 7.
At press time, ETH trades at $2,290, noting a 4% price hike in the past 24 hours. With growing bullish pressure in the broader market ahead of the meeting, the altcoin might extend its gains in the short term.
ETH Sees $20 Million Spot Inflows After 10-Day Outflow Streak
According to Coinglass, ETH’s spot inflows totaled $20 million on Thursday. This comes after the leading altcoin witnessed 10 consecutive days of fund outflows from its spot markets, exceeding $600 million.
When an asset that previously recorded significant outflows begins to record inflows, it indicates a shift in investor sentiment. It means that renewed buying interest is replacing prior selling pressure. ETH’s spot inflows indicate a rise in demand for the asset, as buyers are willing to acquire it at the current market price, positioning it for further upside.
In addition, Ethereum’s open interest is also climbing, indicating a surge in trading activity. At press time, this is at $20 billion, increasing by 4% over the past 24 hours.
An asset’s open interest measures the total number of outstanding derivative contracts, such as futures or options, that have not been settled. ETH’s rising open interest reflects increased market participation and capital inflows into its futures market, reinforcing the current bullish trend.
Ethereum Eyes $2,361 as Indicator Confirms Growing Buying Pressure
On the daily chart, readings from ETH’s Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) reflect the growing demand for the coin ahead of Friday’s Crypto Summit. As of this writing, the coin’s MACD line (blue) is poised to climb above the signal line (orange).
When this momentum indicator is set up this way, it suggests a potential bullish crossover as upward momentum strengthens. This is seen as a buy signal, increasing the possibility of further price rallies. If ETH’s demand grows, its price could reach $2,361.
Earlier today, Israel launched a ‘pre-emptive strike’ on Tehran and declared a state of emergency. This rapid escalation of the conflict drove the crypto market into a freefall.
Over the past 24 hours, total liquidations amounted to $1.15 billion. Additionally, the overall market is down by 6.6%.
Crypto Market Plunges Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
According to CNN, Israel’s strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities, affecting dozens of locations. The attack reportedly eliminated Iran’s top military leaders and senior nuclear scientists. It was confirmed that General Hossein Salami, the Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed.
“Iran’s state television says Deputy Commander in Chief of all Armed Forces, General Gholam Ali Rashid, has been killed, along with nuclear scientist Fereydoon Abbasi,” The Kobeissi Letter posted.
To prepare for potential retaliation, Israel has declared a state of emergency, closing schools, banning gatherings, and mobilizing tens of thousands of soldiers.
Furthermore, Iran is preparing a ‘lethal‘ response against Israel following the attacks. It has already appointed General Vahidi, the former head of the Quds Force, as the new commander of the IRGC.
Admiral Habibollah Sayyari has succeeded the late General Bagheri as the acting Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Statement No. 1 of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
In the early hours of Friday, 23 Khordad (June 12), the Zionist regime carried out an aggressive and reckless attack on several areas of the country, including both civilian and military zones. This assault resulted in… pic.twitter.com/TyQtkxPMmU
The rising tension between the two nations has caused significant turbulence in the market. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell by 1.3%, S&P 500 futures dropped 1.4%, and Nasdaq 100 futures plunged by 1.6%.
Nine of the top ten coins saw losses over the past day. Bitcoin (BTC) nosedived from over $108,000 to $104,112. However, altcoins suffered the harshest blow.
Crypto Market Cap Post Israel’s Attack On Iran. Source: BeInCrypto
Solana (SOL) lost nearly 10% over the past day. Ethereum (ETH) trailed closely with a 9.3% downtick. Among the top 100 coins, Fartcoin (FARTCOIN) and Ethena (ENA) stood out for double-digit losses of 17.3% and 15.9%, respectively.
These declines forced 247,769 traders out of their positions over the past 24 hours. According to Coinglass data, $1.15 billion has been liquidated from the crypto market.
Bitcoin faced $427.75 million in long and $19.10 million in short liquidations. Ethereum followed with $244.74 million in long liquidations and $43.57 million in short liquidations, highlighting the scale of market turmoil.
Nonetheless, the conflict drove oil and gold up. Oil prices spiked by more than 10%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose to $74.99 per barrel, marking a 10.21% uptick.
The global benchmark Brent increased by 10.28% to $76.48 per barrel. Gold also gained 1.2% to reach $3,426.
Analysts Divided Over Israel-Iran Conflict’s Impact on Crypto
As Iran prepares for retaliatory actions, it’s clear that the impact will be felt across markets. Amid this volatility, the cryptocurrency market, particularly Bitcoin, has become a focal point of debate among analysts.
“Bitcoin’s failure to rise against gold—despite over 3.5 years of hype, including a dozen ETFs, Super Bowl ads, El Salvador, NFTs, tens of billions of leveraged buying by MSTR, other Bitcoin treasury companies, the election of a Bitcoin president, and the establishment of a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve—is strong evidence that the bubble has peaked,” Schiff said.
Another analyst echoed his view, claiming that Bitcoin is not a safe haven but more akin to a tech stock.
“It is important to understand that Bitcoin shows its true colors as Israel attacks Iran. It is not an alternative-currency, it is not a safe haven, it is a risk asset, just like another tech stock, that will decline when the market goes to a risk-off posture,” the post read.
However, crypto advocate Anthony Pompliano maintained an optimistic outlook. Drawing parallels to an earlier incident when Iran launched 300 missiles at Israel, Pompliano noted that Bitcoin rebounded to outperform both oil and gold.
“Bitcoin ended up outperforming the other two over the first 48 hours in that situation. Will be interesting to see what happens here,” Pompliano stated.
Moreover, a recent BlackRock report revealed that while Bitcoin may underperform in the short term during geopolitical shocks, it has historically rallied double digits within 60 days post-crisis, outpacing gold and equities.
Despite immediate market jitters, this suggests a longer-term bullish outlook for the cryptocurrency. Still, the divide reflects broader uncertainties about Bitcoin’s maturity as an asset, with gold’s millennia-long stability pitted against Bitcoin’s 16-year track record. As markets stabilize, analysts will closely monitor price movements, with some betting on Bitcoin’s recovery and others clinging to gold’s proven reliability.
Ethereum has recently shown an attempt to recover from the significant losses it sustained toward the end of March. The altcoin, often considered the leader in the smart contract space, is currently trading at $1,774.
While this reflects an effort to regain momentum, Ethereum’s recovery might be hindered by short-term holders (STHs) looking to capitalize on any immediate profits.
Ethereum Investors Are Prone To Selling
Ethereum’s network value and user activity are showing signs of a possible recovery, but its current market sentiment remains under pressure. The Net Unrealized Profit/Loss (NUPL) indicator, which gauges the overall profit or loss of coins in circulation, has entered a phase of capitulation.
Despite the uptick in Ethereum’s price, the underlying sentiment remains cautious. The increase in the NUPL could quickly reverse if short-term holders (STHs) decide to liquidate their positions.
Ethereum’s recovery hinges on investor confidence, with those holding onto their assets being the key to avoiding another sell-off. If more STHs choose to HODL instead of selling, Ethereum could see sustained upward momentum in the coming weeks.
On a broader scale, Ethereum’s macro momentum presents mixed signals. The Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) Long/Short Difference indicator is currently deeply negative at -30%. This suggests that the market may face additional resistance in its recovery efforts.
The indicator highlights the disconnect between long-term and short-term holders, with the latter showing profits at a two-year high. The last time this occurred was in January 2023, when Ethereum experienced significant sell-offs, pushing the price lower.
The presence of STHs in a profitable position increases the likelihood of further selling pressure on Ethereum. As these investors are more likely to liquidate at the first sign of profits, the recovery could face challenges.
Ethereum’s price could struggle to maintain upward momentum, especially if short-term holders capitalize on their gains, pushing the altcoin back into a downtrend.
Ethereum’s price has risen by 11% in the past week, currently trading at $1,774. It is now testing the resistance at $1,796, and breaching this level is crucial for Ethereum to continue its recovery toward the $2,000 mark. A successful breakout above this resistance would signal a continuation of the recovery trend, pushing Ethereum closer to its previous high.
However, considering the market sentiment and the current indicators, Ethereum’s chances of reaching $2,000 in the short term seem unlikely. Ethereum is at risk of falling below the $1,671 support, which could trigger a deeper pullback to $1,522. This bearish outlook suggests that the recovery may be short-lived unless strong buying support materializes.
If the broader market conditions remain strong, Ethereum could manage to breach the $1,796 resistance and even push past $1,906. A move above these levels would set Ethereum on track to reach $2,000, invalidating the bearish outlook and signaling a more sustainable recovery for the altcoin.
The crypto market has entered the fifth month of 2025, yet retail investors have not seen much improvement in their portfolios. Meanwhile, what directions are venture capital (VC) firms taking amid the 2025 market landscape?
The answer to this question could serve as valuable insight for individual investors.
What Sectors are Attracting VC Attention for the Remainder of 2025?
Andy, the host of The Rollup Co., shared key highlights from his conversations with top venture capitalists. These insights reveal the sectors that are drawing strong interest.
According to Andy, the first area of focus is stablecoins.
“Stablecoin issuers are very investable & will likely 10x in quantity,” Andy revealed.
CoinMarketCap lists over 200 stablecoins, while CoinGecko tracks more than 300. Data from Token Terminal shows that the stablecoin market cap has surpassed $225 billion, issued by over 50 entities. However, Tether and Circle still dominate most of that market cap.
Stablecoin Capitalization by Issuer. Source: Token Terminal
If this prediction holds, the number of stablecoin issuers could increase by hundreds. This would open new investment opportunities for individuals through airdrops, stablecoin yields, and DeFi protocols.
VCs also find AI an interesting sector. However, they recognize a gap in how AI applications are developed in Web2 versus Web3.
“The AI sector is interesting but better builders in Web2, for now,” Andy added.
Recent reports from BeInCrypto show that the number of AI agents is growing at an average monthly rate of 33%. Yet, Web3-based AI solutions account for just 3% of the total AI agent ecosystem. These figures align with VCs’ observations. Web3 AI may need more time to prove itself with practical and efficient use cases.
Anthony, founder of blockchain121, also commented on a trend where decentralized AI projects now attract top-tier talent from the Web2 AI space.
“Legit DeAI projects really are, for the first time, attracting legit world-class engineers and researchers from Web2 AI,” Anthony said.
In addition, Andy revealed that VCs have a particularly strong focus on real-world assets (RWAs).
“RWAs, RWAs, RWAs are all that matter,” Andy emphasized.
BeInCrypto reported that the market cap of RWAs surpassed $20 billion in April. At the time of writing, the RWA.xyz platform shows the current market cap at $18.9 billion.
The involvement of major financial institutions like BlackRock and Fidelity has boosted investor confidence in the sector’s long-term potential. Tren.finance even predicts that RWA market capitalization could reach over $10 trillion by 2030.
Finally, in addition to stablecoins and RWAs, Andy mentioned that Bitcoin liquidity markets are also of interest to VCs.
VCs Suffer Losses in 2025 Amid Market Decline
As the market cap has dropped significantly, VCs haven’t been immune to losses in 2025. Unpredictable macroeconomic policies like tariffs have added pressure, triggering a harsh shakeout.
“Crypto VCs are getting their margins squeezed as of recent. Many will not return their LPs positive returns. Others are having trouble raising new funds, especially in the post-tariff world. A lot of the tokens they invested into over the last two years haven’t launched or are beaten down badly. OTC markets are much drier than before. There will be an exodus at some point. The strong will survive,” Andy disclosed.
According to CryptoRank, crypto VC funding reached $4.8 billion in Q1 2025—the highest since Q3 2022. This was largely driven by major deals such as MGX and Kraken. In April alone, VC funding hit $2.3 billion across 87 investment rounds.
Overall, VCs remain cautiously optimistic despite the pressure from investor withdrawals and macroeconomic headwinds since early 2025. This optimism is reflected in the increase in funding volume and deal flow compared to 2023–2024.
