Ethereum (ETH) price has fallen below its cost basis of accumulation addresses, raising discussions within the crypto community. It indicates aggressive buying despite losses, but many worry that the $3,000 retest may not happen soon. Still, the Ethereum staking ratio has hit a new all-time high.
According to data released by CryptoQuant, Ethereum price crashed below the realized price of the accumulation addresses. However, whales continue to accumulate the leading altcoin.
These are large holders who buy and hold, while their ETH inflows surge to multi-year highs. Aggressive ETH accumulation by these accumulation addresses began around June 2025. Since then, they have steadily bought ETH in large volumes, pushing their average realized price upward over time.
Currently, the ETH spot market price has dropped below this rising realized price line for the accumulation cohort. This means the current price is cheaper than the average price these large holders paid when they started accumulation in June.
Ethereum Realized Price Analysis | Source: CryptoQuant
When price trades below the realized cost basis of strong hands, it often signals a potential cycle bottom. Simply explained, sellers are getting exhausted, weak hands capitulate, and conviction buyers see value.
On the surface, the market looks bearish as the Ethereum price is down, and many holders are losing money. Some market participants even fear that the $3,000 retest is now in jeopardy.
However, on-chain behavior from whale investors tells the opposite story. They are treating the dip as a major buying opportunity and accumulating even harder.
At press time, the ETH price oscillates around $1,944, with a market capitalization of $234.2 billion. Over the past 24 hours and week, ETH dropped 3.6% and 13.8%, respectively.
In a recent X post, Joseph Young, a part-time Ethereum narrator, shared a bullish narrative for the top altcoin.
Young highlighted that the Ethereum staking ratio is currently at an all-time high above 30%. This means over 30% of the total circulating ETH supply is now locked in staking validators to secure the network.
High staking reduces circulating supply, meaning less ETH available to sell on exchanges. This potential downward pressure on selling usually leads to upward support for the price during recoveries.
Ethereum Staking Ratio Outlook | Source: Joseph Young
The surge in staking also signals strong long-term confidence in Ethereum’s future price trajectory. Rather than exit due to declining prices, holders are willing to lock funds for higher returns via yields.
In bear markets, rising staking often indicates “hodling” behavior from committed participants, contrasting with panic selling across other assets.
Young further noted that Ethereum-holding companies, BitMine and SharpLink, are aggressively accumulating and staking. These corporate entities treat ETH as a core balance sheet asset, similar to how MicroStrategy holds Bitcoin.
BitMine recently reported buying an additional 41,788 ETH. Chairman Tom Lee said the move followed stronger signals from the network, even as prices dropped.
Amid the ETH price drawdown and whale accumulation, crypto trader Alejandro on X has further released a macro thesis analysis.
According to the trader, Ethereum has been consolidating within a broader corrective structure since around 2019 to 2020. During this period, Ethereum price began a major bullish move, transitioning into a large and prolonged macro correction.
Alejandro argued that the strong rally that followed the 2022 bear market created the appearance of a renewed bull market. However, it fits structurally better as a countertrend move within a broader corrective range.
Price has been stuck in a wide, range-bound consolidation for years, repeatedly testing but failing to hold and break sustainably above the previous cycle high. This failure to make new sustained highs signals distribution rather than accumulation, according to Alejandro.
The trader thinks the conditions for a true long-term bullish continuation will happen only after the ongoing shakeout.
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