Altcoins Under Pressure After Sharp ETH/BTC Drop, Traders Watch Next 48 Hours

A sharp sell-off in the ETH/BTC pair has traders on edge, with popular analyst Michaël van de Poppe noting that the move looks like a clear sign of risk aversion ahead of a busy 48-hour window for the market. Van de Poppe wrote on X that the pair had seen “a sharp sell-off taking place of nearly 15% on the BTC pair,” adding that while the decline is “rough” for altcoin holders, ETH/BTC remains perched on strong support and a momentum pickup in the next two days would be a constructive signal.

The numbers back up the concern. ETH/BTC traded around 0.0327 on Thursday morning, meaning ETH was worth roughly 0.0327 BTC at the time markets were pricing the pair. That level puts ETH/BTC down materially from midsummer highs when the pair peaked above 0.05, and the recent move has been enough to focus attention on whether support will hold.

Part of the stress in the pair comes from diverging performance in dollar terms. Bitcoin has been stronger this week, trading in the mid-to-high $80,000s, while ETH has slid into the low $2,800s. Using the live mid-market quotes, roughly $87,240 for Bitcoin and 0.03278 for ETH/BTC, the implied dollar price of ETH comes to about $2,860, a figure that sits close to spot ETH quotes on major price trackers.

Broader Market Outlook

The technical picture that market-watchers are parsing is straightforward: a pronounced rotation into Bitcoin and out of many altcoins, which lifts Bitcoin dominance and mechanically pressures pairs quoted as ETH/BTC. Trade publications and market notes released Wednesday and Thursday described a backdrop where spot Bitcoin ETF inflows and renewed institutional appetite have favored BTC over ETH, contributing to the relative weakness of the altcoin complex. Saxo Bank’s market note, for example, highlighted continued flows into Bitcoin ETFs as one of the forces cushioning Bitcoin’s strength, while ETH funds have been weaker.

Regulatory news has also injected an element of uncertainty. Reports that the U.S. Senate has delayed key cryptocurrency legislation have at times produced knee-jerk volatility across markets, and traders say those headlines help explain the market’s sensitivity as the year draws to a close. Experts flagged how policy delays can sap confidence and promote short-term risk aversion, a mood that shows up first in cross-pair moves such as ETH/BTC.

Looking at the charts, analysts point to a horizontal support band around the 0.0325 area as critical. That zone has acted as a buying region through recent months, and one popular chart circulating in trader circles, annotated to show a grey “ideal zone for buys” and a 20-day moving average above the price, underlines the immediate stakes: a clean rebound from the support would suggest buyers remain willing to step in at these levels; a decisive break could open the door for more downside on the pair.

Van de Poppe’s emphasis on “momentum picking up in the coming 48 hours” reflects this binary outcome. For traders and holders, the practical implications are simple but immediate. If ETH/BTC stabilizes and starts reclaiming the 20-day moving average, altcoins could find a short-term relief rally as capital rotates back out of Bitcoin. If not, the rotation into Bitcoin may continue to accelerate, pressuring dollar-denominated altcoin prices as well.

Market commentators have also noted that liquidity tends to dry up around holidays, which can amplify moves in either direction and make the next few sessions harder to predict. Institutional flows and macro headlines will likely set the tone. Even as Bitcoin remains the favorite for large ETF and fund allocations, many traders will be watching ether-specific catalysts, from network developments to ETF demand for ether-linked products, for signs of relative strength.

For now, the market’s temperament is what Van de Poppe framed it as: a cautious “risk-off appetite” that is visible in the charts, and that will only be changed if momentum returns quickly. Short-term traders will be watching support at roughly 0.0325 and the 20-day moving average for decisive action.

If buyers defend that area and ETH/BTC rebounds, traders could treat a momentum pickup over the next 48 hours as an early buy signal. If sellers push through and volume confirms the break, the next leg down for many altcoin pairs could materialize, and the market’s current risk-off posture would deepen. Either way, the coming two days are likely to show whether this is a brief rotation or the start of a broader shift back toward Bitcoin.