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Only 4.9% of Ethereum Held on Exchanges as ETH Targets $3,000 Breakout

Ethereum exchange supply drops to all-time low at 4.9%, signaling reduced sell pressure.

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Arslan Ali Butt
Editor at AAFX.IO
May 20, 2025
Updated May 20, 2025
Only 4.9% of Ethereum Held on Exchanges as ETH Targets $3,000 Breakout

Ethereum (ETH) has reached a significant milestone in its on-chain metrics, with just 4.9% of total ETH supply now held on exchanges—its lowest level since inception, according to blockchain analytics firm Santiment.

This trend reflects strong investor confidence and reduced short-term selling pressure, factors that are helping drive Ethereum’s recent rally. Over the past month, Ethereum’s price has jumped more than 58%, with a 7% surge today alone pushing ETH above $2,570 and its market capitalization past $310 billion.

Santiment noted that since peaking years ago, 15.3 million ETH have been withdrawn from exchanges, signaling a long-term accumulation trend.

Investors Withdraw 1M ETH in 30 Days

Supporting this bullish shift, on-chain data from Glassnode reveals that nearly 1 million ETH were pulled off centralized exchanges in the last month. This rapid drawdown suggests investors are moving assets to cold storage and DeFi protocols, indicating confidence in long-term price appreciation.

Additional data points reinforcing ETH’s bullish momentum:

  • Open interest in ETH futures has risen 7% to $31.24 billion, per Coinglass.
  • Short liquidations in the last 24 hours totaled $59.6 million, out of $91.6 million in total liquidations.
  • The market sentiment index now reflects a strongly bullish bias for Ethereum.

Market analyst Arthur Hayes has predicted that Ethereum will be a major outperformer in the upcoming altcoin cycle, attributing the strength to the shift toward staking and reduced liquid supply.

Golden Cross Signals Potential for $5K

On the technical front, ETH is showing additional signs of strength. Analyst Crypto Patel highlighted a Golden Cross pattern forming on the 12-hour chart—a bullish indicator where the short-term moving average crosses above the long-term average.

Ethereum Price Chart - Source: Tradingview
Ethereum Price Chart – Source: Tradingview

If ETH maintains support above the critical $2,500 level, analysts anticipate continued upside momentum. Key resistance levels to watch include:

  • $3,000, a psychological and technical milestone
  • $3,800 to $5,000, the analyst’s medium-term target

Given the fundamental and technical backdrop, Ethereum appears poised for a sustained breakout—provided macro sentiment remains favorable and exchange supply continues its decline.

Sources & Methodology

Primary-source standard: Market-moving facts should link to original data releases, regulator notices, company filings or official project announcements whenever available. Secondary reporting is used for additional context, not as a substitute for original evidence.

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Market information only: This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing involve risk, including possible loss of capital. Verify current prices and terms before making financial decisions.
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Arslan Ali Butt
Arslan Ali Butt is the founder and Lead Market Analyst at AAFX.io, with more than a decade of experience covering forex, cryptocurrencies, commodities, equities, and global macroeconomic trends. He holds an MBA in Finance and an MPhil in Behavioral Finance, combining academic research with practical market experience in technical analysis, dealing-desk operations, risk management, market sentiment, and trading psychology. Since 2014, Arslan has produced data-driven market analysis, price forecasts, trading education, and live webinars for international audiences. His research and commentary have been published by FXEmpire, FXLeaders, FXStreet, TradingKey, Cryptonews, KuCoin Learn, InsideBitcoins, Business2Community, ForexCrunch, EconomyWatch, ACY Securities, and FlowBank. Through AAFX.io, he provides independent, transparent, and clearly sourced market news and analysis designed to help readers understand financial markets and make better-informed decisions.
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