- Ethereum derivatives show declining bullish demand amid falling network activity and fees.
- Ethereum’s total value locked (TVL) dropped significantly after a flash crash in early October.
- Top traders have reduced bullish positions, reflecting uncertain market sentiment.
- Rising U.S. job layoffs and weaker seasonal hiring contribute to cautious investor outlook.
- Uncertainty over fresh liquidity injections and economic conditions hinders Ethereum’s short-term gains.
Ether (ETH) surged 15% from its $2,623 low recorded last Friday, yet derivatives data reveals traders remain cautious about the cryptocurrency. Despite the price increase, the absence of strong bullish leverage from major ETH traders and a decline in Ethereum network fees undermine confidence in sustained upside momentum.
Demand for leveraged bullish positions in ETH has been minimal since Monday, as shown by the perpetual futures funding rate. Normally, this rate ranges between 6% and 12% to cover capital costs. Much of the current hesitancy stems from the aftereffects of the 20% price drop on October 10, which triggered widespread liquidations across centralized and decentralized trading platforms.
Following this crash, Ethereum’s total value locked (TVL)—the amount of funds deposited in decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols on the Ethereum network—fell from $99.8 billion on October 9 to $72.3 billion. This significant decline puts additional downward pressure on ETH’s price prospects as investor demand weakens.
Network fees on Ethereum also declined by 13% in the past week, despite steady transaction volumes. Since Ethereum’s burn mechanism, which reduces circulating supply, depends on sustained on-chain activity, lower fees raise concerns about a possible inflationary effect on ETH.
Data on top traders at the cryptocurrency exchange OKX shows a 23% tilt toward bearish positions when combining spot, futures, and margin trades. Whales and market makers have failed to maintain significant bullish leverage, indicating a lack of confidence in the near-term outlook.
The weakening U.S. labor market adds to traders’ caution. Companies citing higher operating expenses and reduced consumer spending after the government shutdown that ended on November 12 have announced over 25,000 job cuts in November, according to Yahoo Finance. Adam Sarhan, CEO of 50 Park Investments in New York, remarked, “You don’t have mass layoffs when the economy is strong.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. federal government continues to run large budget deficits due to slowing revenues and rising costs, as well as heavy investment in Artificial Intelligence infrastructure, data from the Federal Reserve shows. These deficits might favor alternative assets such as Ether, though current economic uncertainty weighs heavily.
Although a weaker economy might encourage a more accommodative approach from the U.S. Federal Reserve, ongoing ambiguity surrounding the labor market dampens investor confidence. For now, focus remains on technology stocks and bond markets, limiting room for an immediate Ethereum price rally to the $4,000 level ahead of new liquidity measures from central banks.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
Previous Articles:
- Malicious Chrome Extension Crypto Copilot Steals SOL in Raydium Swaps
- Kalshi Faces Class Action for Illegal Unlicensed Sports Betting
- Ethereum Futures Surge as Traders Target $3,390 Breakout Zone
- Shiba Inu 2026 Q1 Price Forecast: Mixed Signals Ahead
- Mixpanel Smishing Hack Leaks Data of OpenAI, CoinTracker Users
