Since the approval of spot Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States on May 23, over $3 billion worth of Ether has been removed from centralized crypto exchanges. This withdrawal, totaling around 797,000 Ether, represents a significant shift in investor behavior and indicates a potential supply squeeze.
Decline in Ether on Exchanges
Data from CryptoQuant reveals that the amount of Ether on exchanges fell sharply between May 23 and June 2, equating to $3.02 billion. As a result, only 10.6% of the total Ether supply is currently held on centralized exchanges, the lowest level in years. This decrease suggests that investors are moving their coins to self-custody, reducing the amount available for immediate sale.
Potential Impact of Ether ETFs
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas has suggested that there is a “legit possibility” of Ether ETFs launching by late June. Analysts believe that the introduction of these ETFs could drive Ether prices to new highs, potentially surpassing the all-time high of $4,870 set in November 2021. This prediction is based on the expectation that spot Ether ETFs will increase demand, similar to the impact seen with Bitcoin ETFs.
Comparison to Bitcoin
According to crypto analyst Michael Nadeau, Ether could experience more significant demand pressures than Bitcoin. Unlike Bitcoin miners, who often sell BTC to cover mining costs, Ethereum validators do not face the same operational expenses, which could reduce sell pressure on Ether.
Also Read: Spot Ethereum ETF Approval Could Benefit Bitcoin: Michael Saylor
Concerns Over Grayscale’s Ethereum Trust
Despite the positive outlook, there are concerns about the impact of Grayscale’s Ethereum Trust (ETHE) on Ether’s price. The trust, managing $11 billion in funds, could affect Ether’s market dynamics if it follows the pattern of the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), which experienced $6.5 billion in outflows shortly after its approval.
Current Ether Market Status
As of now, Ether is trading at $3,781, down 0.82% over the past 24 hours and approximately 23% below its all-time high, according to CoinMarketCap. The ongoing developments in the ETF space and changes in investor behavior will be crucial in determining Ether’s future price movements.
