Ethereum has traded above $2,500 for the past two weeks, but strong resistance at $2,800 has limited further upward movement. Technical indicators show that ETH is consolidating within a triangular chart pattern, signaling potential for volatility ahead.
Arthur Hayes projects $10,000 ETH by year-end
Arthur Hayes, former chief executive of cryptocurrency derivatives exchange BitMEX, outlined a bullish outlook for Ethereum during this year’s KBW2026 conference in Seoul. When asked about his price target, Hayes stated his expectation that ETH would reach $10,000 before the end of 2026, a target over three times higher than its current trading level of approximately $2,700.
Hayes explained that such a forecast is grounded in his confidence in Ethereum’s underlying technology and its lack of critical security concerns. He noted he is comfortable allocating substantial funds to ETH because he does not fear a sudden 75% loss triggered by security breaches.
Hayes cited Ethereum’s pioneering role in decentralized computation and its resilience as justifications for his view. He acknowledged that alternative blockchain networks have absorbed some of the transactional activity that once took place on Ethereum, but argued that, “Ethereum pioneered this whole decentralized computer thing and then was the victim of its own success. Alternative blockchain networks absorbed the transaction volume that Ethereum relinquished.”
The former BitMEX CEO highlighted his practical experiences with ETH trading. In August, he sold 2,365 ETH at a price of $1,821 per token, incurring a $241,000 loss given his average purchase price of $1,923. In July, another sale involved 5,900 ETH for nearly $10 million—a transaction that followed a purchase worth $10.58 million and resulted in a loss exceeding $600,000.
Founded in 2014, BitMEX is a cryptocurrency derivatives exchange known for pioneering perpetual swaps and margin trading in the digital asset market.
Mini dictionary: BitMEX, launched in 2014, is a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange specializing in leveraged contracts and has played a significant role in the development of crypto derivatives trading infrastructure.
Ethereum’s market performance and ETF flow changes
While Hayes remains confident in Ethereum’s security, he acknowledged that the network has fallen behind competitors like Solana in certain sectors. He pointed out that Solana managed to capture significant share in the memecoin market and accelerated its ecosystem’s growth, contributing to Ethereum’s comparative underperformance during the same period.
Ethereum’s spot Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) products recently experienced a change in capital flows. After consistent daily net inflows since September 18, with total net investments exceeding $850 million, the trend reversed with a single-day withdrawal of $2.8 million. Despite this outflow, Ethereum ETFs have seen a cumulative inflow of $13.95 billion so far, with $892 million attributed to September alone and one session remaining before the month concludes.
| Metric | Latest Value | Reference Period |
|---|---|---|
| ETH price | $2,700 | Current |
| Previous All-time High | $4,946 | November 2021 |
| Spot ETF Inflow (September) | $892 million | September 2026 |
| Total ETF Inflows | $13.95 billion | Aggregate |
| Largest Recent Daily Outflow | $2.8 million | September 2026 |
From a quarterly perspective, Ethereum delivered a nearly 70% gain in the third quarter of 2026, recovering from consecutive declines of 29.26% in Q1 and 25.28% in Q2. The recent improvement marked a significant reversal from previous losses, even as daily and weekly trends remain mixed. In the latest 24 hours, ETH dropped 1%, and over the past week, it slipped 3%. However, the two-week period brought 11% gains, with the monthly chart indicating a 9% increase.
ETH is currently trading approximately 46% below its all-time high of $4,946, recorded in November 2021. Analysts continue to monitor whether recent consolidation and positive ETF flows can serve as a catalyst for future growth.
