Why Ethereum’s demand keeps rising despite weak price action

Staking rewards are ticking up, big wallets are moving again, and institutions that sat out earlier in the year suddenly want in.

Here’s a closer look.

A look at Sharplink’s numbers

Ethereum [ETH] treasury company Sharplink Gaming Inc.’s recent numbers make one thing clear. Demand for ETH is very much alive.

Source: X

The company generated 443 ETH in staking rewards last week, pushing its cumulative total to 7,846 ETH since the strategy launched in June. The charts show a steady climb at first, then an acceleration in October.

So, the staking engine is working exactly as intended.

Source: X

On the other side, indirect institutional interest is exploding. Holders of Sharplink’s SBET  stock jumped from 40 in Q2 to 138 in Q3, a 245% increase. This meant bigger players want exposure to ETH’s yield regardless of price action.

AMBCrypto previously reported that BitMine – now the world’s largest ETH treasury holder – recently bought 69,822 ETH in a single week, pushing its holdings to 3.63 million ETH and triggering a 20% rally in its stock.

There is a collective uptick in institutional appetite seen across Ethereum-linked equities.

Whales are moving, but not together

Meanwhile, an early Ethereum investor just sold 20,000 ETH through FalconX. This was a tiny slice of their original ICO allocation, which ballooned to $757 million.

Source: X

At the same time, a new wallet withdrew 3,089 ETH from Bybit, likely positioning for long-term holding.

Source: X

And after months of silence, another whale returned to buy 1,110 ETH, even after previously selling into strength at higher prices. They still have $67.8 million in DAI ready for more.

Source: X

The whales are giving mixed signals, but they’re anything but quiet.

Price looks weak, but there is stability

Ethereum’s price action remained soft at the time of writing, but the first signs of steadying have come up. ETH was struggling to hold above the $2,900 level, and the chart was indicative of a directionless market.

Source: TradingView

The RSI showed weak momentum but also room for a rebound if buyers step in. The MACD was below zero, yet the lines were beginning to converge. This means selling pressure may be cooling.

It’s not a bullish chart yet, but it’s no longer falling apart either.