Ethereum, the largest altcoin, recently surged past the $3,250 level late on the first trading day of the week, marking its highest point since mid-December. In the early days of the year, ETH’s price rose by 16%, outpacing Bitcoin’s 6.7% increase in the same period. Market participants attribute this recovery to reduced selling pressure and increased demand driven by staking. According to analyst Merlijn, the current trend indicates more of an accumulation phase rather than profit-taking.
Strong Recovery in Ethereum
Ethereum’s climb above $3,250 shows that the market is regaining its balance after a lackluster end to 2025. Price movements accelerated during U.S. market hours, reflecting a rebound in investor risk appetite. Analysts highlight that the upward trajectory since the start of the year is rooted in medium-term strategies rather than short-term speculative trades.
The increase in price is largely driven by heightened interest in staking activities. Blockchain data reveals that validator exits remain limited while new entry requests are accelerating. The Beacon Chain’s total staked ETH stands at 35.6 million, with much of the new supply being locked up before entering circulation. This setup restricts the supply side, impacting price formation.
Merlijn’s assessment suggests that the market sentiment is still in a bullish phase. The analyst considers ETH undervalued versus historical norms, guiding investor behavior towards accumulation. Despite short-term fluctuations, this outlook reinforces expectations for a sustainable upward trend.
BitMine and the Influence of Staking and ETFs
One of the key drivers of recovery was an aggressive staking move by BitMine, which holds one of the largest Ethereum reserves globally. The company announced it staked $2.1 billion worth of ETH in just two weeks. As of January 4th, the total staked amount reached 659,219 ETH, with an increase of 250,592 ETH in the last week.
BitMine’s stake covers approximately 1.85% of the total staked amount on the Beacon Chain. The surge in entries pushed the validator waiting queue to 1.3 million ETH, reaching its highest level since mid-November 2025, while the exit queue nearly zeroed out back to July levels. The company collaborates with three different staking providers for its “Made in America Validator Network” set to launch in 2026, with Chairman Tom Lee projecting annual staking revenues over $374 million.
Interest on the institutional side isn’t limited to treasury companies alone. U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs are starting to distribute staking revenues to investors. Grayscale emerged as the first spot Ethereum ETF to offer staking rewards. ETF expert Nate Geraci highlighted the milestone of new products achieving passive income distribution as significant for the industry. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart noted that ETF outflows reached 18% of the total flow, yet price performance remained balanced.
