Ethereum holds $2,500 after $165 million in liquidations, eyes $2,600 breakout

Ethereum traded near $2,500 on October 11, recovering after a turbulent week that affected major cryptocurrencies. This rebound came as Bitcoin approached $81,000 and Solana hovered close to $110, underscoring ongoing volatility across the crypto market.

Key resistance centered around $2,600

Market analyst Petar Jovanović marked the $2,550 to $2,600 area as Ethereum’s critical resistance in the near term. Successfully breaching this zone could reinforce ETH’s technical profile and set the stage for a move to $2,650 or even $2,700.

Earlier in October, Ethereum surpassed $2,700 before facing selling pressure that pushed its price below $2,600 and down to $2,405. Buyers then stepped in, driving a recovery toward the psychologically significant $2,500 level.

Despite the rebound, technical indicators remain mixed. The relative strength index has shown some improvement, and the MACD histogram posted a brief shift into positive territory. Yet, declining histogram bars indicate that buying enthusiasm could already be losing momentum.

ETF flows and institutional sentiment

Institutional sentiment appears divided between major cryptocurrencies. U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs saw withdrawals of about $201.9 million on October 6. In contrast, Bitcoin ETFs reported net inflows of approximately $118.8 million during the same period.

This split in ETF flows highlights a more selective approach among investors when allocating capital to digital assets. Ongoing outflows from Ethereum products suggest that institutional support for ETH remains fragile, which could limit its capacity for a sustained rally unless direct spot demand improves further.

Derivatives market and staking trends

The risk profile for Ethereum has also been influenced by developments in the derivatives market. Liquidations of leveraged positions reached $165 million during the most recent downturn, reflecting the rapid cascade effects that can occur in volatile conditions.

On-chain dynamics remain a subject of close attention. More than one-third of Ether’s circulating supply has been committed to staking. While this staking activity reduces the amount of ETH available on exchanges, analysts caution that lower exchange balances and staking rewards do not automatically result in a higher market price.

Mini dictionary: MACD histogram, a technical analysis tool that shows the difference between the MACD line and its signal line to identify shifts in market momentum.

Short-term technical indicators on Ethereum remain mixed. The $2,550–$2,600 region stands out as a crucial resistance area, and sustained buying pressure will be required to confirm further upside potential.