TLDR
- Ethereum reclaimed $2,000 after a 10–15% surge in 24 hours
- Spot ETF inflows totaled over $20 million, led by Grayscale’s $11.1 million purchase
- The Ethereum Foundation announced it will stake 70,000 ETH from its treasury
- $893 million in ETH options expire Friday, with max pain at $2,200
- Key resistance sits at $2,120–$2,150; support holds at $1,975–$2,000
Ethereum climbed back above $2,000 on February 26, 2026, after posting gains of around 10–15% in a single 24-hour period. The move ended weeks of sideways trading near $1,920 and briefly pushed ETH to a high of $2,158.
The broader crypto market also recovered. Total market capitalization rose 5% to $2.35 trillion. Bitcoin crossed $68,000 during the same period.
ETH had been struggling below $2,000 for most of 2026. It had dropped more than 60% from its peak before finding support near $1,750.
Institutional buying played a role in the recovery. Ethereum spot ETFs recorded $9.23 million in net inflows the previous day. Grayscale added $11.1 million in fresh ETH purchases, led by its Ethereum Mini Trust.
These inflows followed weeks of outflows in February, making the shift a change in direction for institutional positioning.
ETF Inflows and Foundation Staking
The Ethereum Foundation added to the momentum by announcing it would stake 70,000 ETH from its treasury. It made an initial deposit to begin the process, marking a move toward more active reserve management.
LATEST: ⚡ The Ethereum Foundation has begun staking its ETH treasury, making an initial 2,016 ETH deposit with plans to stake 70,000 ETH in total. pic.twitter.com/TJWq62kn3d
— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) February 25, 2026
The MACD on the 4-hour chart crossed above its signal line, with expanding green histogram bars pointing to strengthening momentum. The Chaikin Money Flow also turned positive, indicating capital moving back into the asset.
ETH now faces resistance at $2,080, $2,120, and $2,150. A break above $2,150 could open the path toward $2,200 and $2,320.
On the downside, support sits at $2,000, then $1,975, which aligns with the 50% Fibonacci retracement of the move from $1,792 to $2,158. A drop below $1,975 could send ETH back toward $1,930 or $1,900.
Options Expiry Adds Pressure
$893 million in ETH options are set to expire on Friday as part of a broader $8.4 billion crypto expiry event. The max pain level sits at $2,200, above where ETH was trading at press time.
The put-to-call ratio stood at 0.78, suggesting traders leaned toward calls. This points to positioning for higher prices, though options mechanics can create short-term price distortion.
Bitcoin faces its own $7.54 billion in options expiry with a max pain of $75,000, which could add to volatility across the market.
At press time, ETH was trading near $2,047–$2,074, holding above the 100-hour simple moving average.
