Currently, the price of Ethereum (ETH) continues to face pressure around the $2100 mark, with market analysis indicating significant selling pressure in this area, making it difficult for the price to break through. As crypto analyst Daan Crypto Trades noted, "Every time the price touches this level, it pulls back, and there seems to be a lot of supply still in this area."
The formation of a price resistance zone is not instantaneous; it typically requires sustained buyer involvement and gradual dilution of market supply to achieve a breakthrough. However, accurately timing such a breakout is a common challenge for traders.
Despite repeated tests of the resistance level, a eventual breakout is highly probable. Currently, the market's focus is less on when ETH will break through $2100 and more on whether it can hold the critical support level of $1800. Analysts generally believe that a break below this support would severely test Ethereum's structure; conversely, holding it would lay the foundation for future resistance breakthroughs.
Looking at the technical charts, the current market is not showing clear bearish signals but rather conveying a message of patient waiting. This patience may stem from upcoming technological developments.
Upgrades Poised to Reshape Market Expectations
During Ethereum's current consolidation phase, institutional funds have not significantly withdrawn, which is more related to the network's future development potential than short-term price fluctuations.
A major upgrade named "Glamsterdam" is planned for the first half of 2026, with completion expected by June at the latest. This upgrade is one of the most impactful changes to Ethereum in recent years, integrating two independent tier updates aimed at addressing two core issues that have long plagued Ethereum users: high transaction fees and low network throughput.
In terms of transaction fees, the upgrade is expected to reduce Gas costs by up to 78%. For users who have experienced Ethereum applications during peak network times, this figure is significant, transforming the network from theoretical usability to practical mass operability.
The upgrade also includes deeper architectural adjustments. The block-building and value extraction process from transaction ordering, currently managed by third-party intermediaries, will be integrated into the Ethereum protocol itself. This will enhance the network's resistance to manipulation, improve its resilience against front-running strategies that have long plagued decentralized exchanges, and reduce reliance on external infrastructure.
Currently, development teams are actively conducting tests, with three core proposals having passed initial stress tests. The primary risk lies in the complexity of the upgrade; it is a large-scale architectural adjustment, and if compatibility issues arise between different node clients during testing, it could potentially delay the planned release window from the first half of 2026 to the second half.
In summary, while short-term Ethereum movements may be influenced by market sentiment and technical resistance, the long-term outlook suggests that the 2026 Glamsterdam upgrade and the resulting improvements in network efficiency could become key drivers for a revaluation of Ethereum's worth, a potential that may not yet be fully priced into the current market.