While Bitcoin and other altcoins have recently soared to new highs, Ethereum remains below its 2021 peak, signaling a slower recovery trajectory compared to its peers.

Amid the sluggish price performance, Ethereum’s leadership faces pressing internal issues, and co-founder Vitalik Buterin has responded by unveiling an ambitious plan—dubbed the Ethereum 2025 strategy—intended to revive the project’s momentum and address organizational hurdles.

Ethereum’s foundation has seen upheaval, with discussions swirling about whether a new structure might be formed following a “termination episode.” Buterin has acknowledged the significance of these leadership concerns but insists that Ethereum can maintain its influence on the ever-evolving blockchain landscape, even in the face of skepticism.

As of this writing, ETH’s price stands near $3,200–$3,400, prompting critical questions over whether Buterin’s roadmap can restore the token’s earlier glory.

Ethereum’s 2025 Ambition Under Scrutiny

Vitalik Buterin’s newly proposed plan focuses on scaling Ethereum’s layer-1 (L1) and layer-2 (L2) solutions simultaneously, contrary to the stance taken by figures such as Tron founder Justin Sun.

Sun had indicated he would prioritize layer-1 work only if Ethereum hit $10,000, effectively shifting away from multiple L2 developments. Buterin, however, views the simultaneous pursuit of both L1 and L2 scaling as critical.

In one of his most recent blog posts, Buterin openly admitted that coordination problems remain Ethereum’s major obstacle. He also noted Justin Sun’s perspective of abandoning L2 as a potential “shortcut,” yet reaffirmed his commitment to a joint approach, emphasizing that Ethereum “should stay the course, continue to scale primarily through L2s, but make sure that L2s fulfill the promise that they were meant to fulfill.” Buterin believes that preserving this balance is essential for ETH to accrue value even in an ecosystem leaning heavily toward L2 activity.

Nevertheless, Ethereum’s market indicators paint a more complicated picture. The Mean Dollar Invested Age (MDIA)—the average coin holding duration weighted by purchase price—has been steadily rising. This trend suggests that most ETH holders are sitting on their coins rather than trading, potentially reflecting both diminished activity and waning confidence in the project’s near-term prospects. Large holders’ netflow has also declined, revealing that addresses controlling 0.1% to 1% of Ethereum’s supply are offloading tokens more than they are accumulating. Simultaneously, about 340,000 ETH, worth over $1 billion, have moved onto exchanges since January 20, indicating a degree of sustained selling pressure.

Bullish Hopes Amid a Bearish Outlook

Despite these headwinds, on-chain analysts see signs that could favor an Ethereum price break to the upside—particularly above the $3,500–$3,600 resistance. For instance, the emergence of two liquidity pools: one near $3,200 (below which short positions may be liquidated) and another around $3,500 (above which long positions may be triggered). The result will be that the market’s tension between these levels “increases the likelihood of a breakout toward either direction in the near term.”

While broader indicators remain cautious, several prominent traders have projected a bullish movement. Titan of Crypto, a Bitcoin investor and technical analyst active since 2017, recently pointed out on Twitter that ETH was on the verge of breaking out from a falling wedge, which could eventually lift its price above $3,500.

Source: Titan of Crypto on X

Javon Marks, who forecasts a surge toward $4,811.9 to $4,867.81, reaffirmed his stance by saying, “ETH remains on BREAKOUT WATCH which can spark a continuation towards our first target at $4,811.71!”

Source: Javon

Similar optimism has come from Mikybull, who sees a strong probability for a move to $4,000, describing the current short-term range as “very close” to an intraday breakout.

Source: Miky on X

Trader Tardigrade echoed these sentiments, believing ETH could clear a critical resistance line, potentially reaching what he referred to as its “PEAK.”

These forecasts hinge on the assumption that demand for both ETH and its L2 tokens will rise, fueled in part by Buterin’s Ethereum 2025 strategy. If the plan succeeds in bolstering confidence and addressing the structural concerns within the Ethereum Foundation, the token might be on track to challenge $4,500 or possibly higher. But for now, with the Supertrend indicator flashing red on ETH’s daily chart and overhead resistance near $3,667, Ethereum remains under pressure. A drop below $3,024 or even $2,768 cannot be ruled out if further selling materializes.

Where Ethereum goes in the months ahead will depend on a delicate mix of market forces, technological execution, and leadership stability.