Ethereum’s Freefall: Will It Crash 30% Against Bitcoin? 😱

Ah, Ethereum—the once-proud titan of the crypto realm, now reduced to a mere shadow of its former glory. Its native token, Ether (ETH), has plummeted to depths not seen in years against Bitcoin (BTC), leaving analysts to ponder whether this is the beginning of an even steeper descent. Truly, a tale of hubris and downfall worthy of a Dostoevskian tragedy. 🎭

The Falling Knife: A Cautionary Tale

On March 13, the ETH/BTC pair—a measure of Ether’s strength against Bitcoin—sank by over 1.50%, reaching a pitiful $0.022, its lowest since May 2020. This is but a chapter in a multi-year saga of decline, a story that began with Ether’s record high of $0.156 in June 2017. Since then, it has tumbled by more than 85%, a testament to its growing frailty in the face of Bitcoin’s unrelenting dominance. 📉

On the two-week ETH/BTC chart, the relative strength index (RSI)—a momentum indicator—has plunged to a record low of 23.32. Typically, an RSI below 30 signals oversold conditions, hinting at a potential rebound. But Ethereum, ever the contrarian, has defied even this modest expectation. Its RSI continues to plummet, suggesting that the downtrend is not stabilizing but accelerating. A true falling knife, as the analysts say—a blade that cuts deeper the moment you try to catch it. 🔪

Crypto analyst Alessandro Ottaviani has aptly described this as a “falling knife” scenario, a term that evokes both danger and despair. To attempt to catch this knife is to risk further losses, a gamble few are willing to take. For Ethereum to signal a reversal, traders must see RSI stabilization and a reclaim of key resistance levels. A rebound from the 0.022 BTC level, which once limited ETH/BTC’s downside in December 2020, could spark a 300% rally. But until then, the knife keeps falling. 🎲

Should a rebound occur, the ETH/BTC pair could rally toward its 0.382 Fibonacci retracement line at around 0.038 BTC, aligning with the 50-week exponential moving average (50-week EMA; the red wave). But for now, the technical outlook remains grim, with potential downside targets lurking in the 0.020-0.016 BTC range. The lowest point of this range? A staggering 30% below current levels. A fall from grace, indeed. 📉

Fundamentals: The Bearish Backdrop

Ether’s woes are not merely technical; they are rooted in the very fabric of its existence. Ethereum now faces fierce competition from rival layer-1 blockchains, most notably Solana (SOL). VanEck has noted that Solana’s decentralized exchange volume has surpassed Ethereum’s, even during a decline in memecoin trading activity. Meanwhile, Solana’s volume has risen consistently, while Ethereum’s has dwindled. A classic case of the new usurping the old. 🏰

Moreover, the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs has fundamentally altered the crypto market cycle. Historically, after Bitcoin surged post-halving, capital flowed into altcoins, triggering an “altseason” where ETH and others outperformed BTC. But the $129 billion inflows into Bitcoin ETFs in 2024 have disrupted this cycle, draining liquidity from the broader altcoin market—Ethereum included. A cruel twist of fate. 🎭

Adding to Ethereum’s misery is the recent Bybit hack, which reportedly led to substantial ETH liquidations. Some of this value was laundered via decentralized platforms like Thorchain, creating a ripple effect of sell-off pressure that continues to depress ETH’s relative value. A cascade of misfortune, as if the universe itself conspires against it. 🌌

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2025-03-13 09:43