2026-01-08 06:28:17

Starting in 2026, Ethereum fluctuates around $3,200, rebounding strongly from last year's lows. Most notably, institutional ETF funds have absorbed billions of dollars right at the beginning of the new year, with a significant tilt towards the Ethereum ecosystem. This signals that on-chain smart money is quietly positioning itself.

The real turning point lies in the technical front. In the first half of this year, the Glamsterdam major upgrade will officially go live. Key improvements in this upgrade include: gas limit expanded to 200M, the launch of parallel processing mechanisms, greatly increasing L1 throughput; further optimization of ZK verification efficiency, significantly alleviating MEV issues. Meanwhile, L2 network fees continue to decline, and the main chain itself can handle larger traffic, leading to a qualitative leap in user experience.

In the second half of the year, the Hegota upgrade will follow. This update focuses on strengthening censorship resistance and further optimizing the state bloat problem. The development path of the entire Ethereum ecosystem is becoming increasingly clear, with explosive growth expected from the infrastructure layer to the application layer.

Market sentiment has already reacted in advance. Many analysts predict that Ethereum's high point this year could reach the $6,000-$9,000 range, with more aggressive views even pointing toward the $10,000 mark. The driving forces come from multiple directions: continuous institutional capital inflows, technological upgrades releasing imagination space, and the ongoing prosperity of DeFi and RWA tracks. However, it’s important to note that there may be volatility and shakeouts in the first half of the year, which is normal market behavior.

For long-term bullish investors, 2026 is undoubtedly a key year for Ethereum. Bitcoin has completed its current cycle's uplift, and the next leading stage is likely to be led by Ethereum. Find good entry points to gradually build positions, and patiently wait for the upgrade catalysts to realize. This logic is relatively clear.

ETH7,05%

BTC4,46%

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ApeWithAPlan

· 01-10 23:59

Wait, are institutions really quietly accumulating? Then what the hell am I stressing over at 3200? Glamsterdam's upgrade this time is real, expanding gas to 200M sounds outrageous, that small amount of traffic back then was really tough. It's both a shakeout and a thousand-yuan move; I just want to know how much it will drop in the first half of the year so I can buy the dip. ETH's turnaround depends entirely on these two upgrades; otherwise, it will just continue to be suppressed by BTC. RWA has been hyped for so long, do the big players dare to enter?

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CodeSmellHunter

· 01-08 13:01

Institutions tend to put on a show when making large acquisitions, but this upgrade actually has some substance. Glamsterdam's gas extension... just listen to it, but ultimately it depends on execution. Ten thousand yuan threshold? Are you serious, friend? First stabilize at 3200 and then talk. The term "washout" is actually just a cover-up for big players building positions during downturns. I believe in the RWA explosion; DeFi is always just storytelling. No matter how good it sounds, the key is whether the technology can follow up, otherwise it's no different from last year's rhetoric. This rhythm... feels a bit like we're about to see another round of the old "about to take off" routine.

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MEVSupportGroup

· 01-08 06:58

Institutions are accumulating, upgrades are on the way, this logic does have some substance. How low can gas fees go? Honestly, even L2 isn't cheap right now. It's both a shakeout and a ten-thousand-yuan move—give me a break. First, let's see if it can hold steady above 4000 in the first half of the year. Is Glamsterdam reliable? I always feel like these upgrade promises are rarely fulfilled. I only half believe in the 6000-9000 range, but gradually building positions is still the right move.

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TokenEconomist

· 01-08 06:57

actually, let me break this down—the institutional inflows are neat and all, but have we factored in the incentive misalignment once those upgrades go live? ceteris paribus, more throughput just means more MEV extraction opportunities until the protocol design catches up.

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YieldHunter

· 01-08 06:55

ngl, 6k-9k seems optimistic if you look at the data... where's the sustainable tvl growth tho? everyone's hyping glamsterdam but actually the state bloat fix in hegota is where real value unlocks. degens gonna degen but risk-adjusted i'm watching correlation coefficients first before any dca. MEV relief sounds nice on paper, not convinced yet.

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OPsychology

· 01-08 06:50

Institutions are aggressively accumulating, ETH might really be about to take off --- Glamsterdam upgrade, how low can gas fees go, we’ll have to wait and see --- Another time crossing the 10,000 mark, heard it for two years, when exactly will it happen haha --- I’m not afraid of a shakeout, I just worry about a rebound and then falling back again --- Is the prosperity of the track exaggerated or real? Feels like the volume is bigger than the actual situation --- Long-term bulls, come and lay low, anyway BTC has already started to rise --- MEV mitigation is a good thing, finally able to leave behind days of being sandwich-ed every day --- From 6000 to 9000, conservative estimate, I think at least eight figures to start --- Don’t listen to those analysts bragging, doing your own homework is the real key --- The issue of state expansion has always been a hidden danger, if Hegota can really get it done, that would be impressive

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DeFiDoctor

· 01-08 06:48

The consultation records show that ETH's recent rebound is indeed supported by institutional funds, but the gas limit expanded to the 200M mark... regular reviews are necessary, and after the parallel processing mechanism goes live, can it truly alleviate MEV? History tells me that the fulfillment rate of such promises should be taken with a grain of salt.

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RektButStillHere

· 01-08 06:47

Wait a minute, are Glamsterdam and Hegota seriously upgrading their names? Haha --- Institutions are quietly buying, and I'm still waiting for a dip... I really can't hold on anymore --- Gas limit up to 200M? That's quite aggressive. Will it really reduce fees then? --- The 10,000 yuan threshold... just listen to it. In the first half of the year, there will definitely be a shakeout, probably a bloodbath for retail investors --- Is this really different this time, or is it just another case of "this time really is different"? --- The long-term holding plan is set, now just see if the upgrade will be delivered as promised --- DeFi and RWA are both thriving, so why is my position still in the green? --- Building a position at the right level sounds simple, but actual operation is really tough --- Bitcoin's rally followed by Ethereum—can you really believe this logic? --- The most frightening part is the oscillating shakeout; it's easy to get caught and stuck

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LiquidationWizard

· 01-08 06:46

The institution's recent moves are indeed paving the way; only when gas fees drop will it truly be usable. --- It's another 10,000 yuan milestone, just like last year... but this upgrade actually looks promising this time. --- Glamsterdam will probably need to be washed again before launch; same old routine. --- Smart money has already entered, while retail investors are still debating whether to buy or not. Laughable. --- If RWA really takes off, Ethereum will definitely have more potential, but the prerequisite is waiting for the upgrade to actually be implemented. --- Strengthening censorship resistance? That's the real core to watch in the long term, much more reliable than predicting market highs. --- Those who bought at 3200 should be feeling pretty comfortable now. Had I known, I wouldn't have been waiting blindly. --- Has MEV mitigation really improved transaction experience this much? Feels like we've been scammed for so long. --- A shakeout in the first half of the year is certain; then it will be a matter of who runs away first. --- 10,000 yuan? Let's wait until it surpasses 6000 first. Such predictions are made every year, but few actually come true.

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