Ethereum Shows Signs of Rebound Amid Extended Underperformance vs. Bitcoin

Ethereum, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has long been considered Bitcoin’s top rival and a key driver of blockchain innovation. During the bull markets of 2017 and 2021, ETH often outpaced BTC in price gains, positioning itself as a leading altcoin. However, recent performance has been less impressive. While Bitcoin has surged 53% over the past year, Ethereum is down 42%, according to CoinGecko.

Prominent trader Peter Brandt recently pointed to a persistent downtrend in the ETH/BTC trading pair. He shared a chart on social media platform X highlighting Ethereum’s continued struggle to match Bitcoin’s momentum, signaling potential further weakness if a reversal fails to materialize.

Despite the bearish sentiment, there are early signs of improving investor confidence in Ethereum. For the first time in eight weeks, U.S.-based Ethereum ETFs recorded positive net inflows—about 40,000 ETH—according to data from Glassnode. Although modest, this shift could indicate a renewed interest in Ethereum exposure.

In terms of short-term price action, ETH has recently begun outperforming BTC. As of the latest data, Ethereum is up 1.12% in the past 24 hours and 13% for the week, trading at around $1,830. Bitcoin, meanwhile, has risen just 0.17% in the past day and 7.24% over the week, priced near $94,947.

Traders and investors are now closely monitoring the ETH/BTC ratio for signs of a trend reversal. A sustained bounce could suggest Ethereum is regaining strength, potentially paving the way for a broader altcoin recovery. However, unless momentum shifts significantly, ETH may continue to lag behind its larger counterpart in the ongoing crypto rally.