Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade could serve as catalyst, but market sentiment ‘remains lukewarm,’ analysts warn

Despite a significant influx of $500 million into spot Ethereum ETFs, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization continues to face challenges with limited price movement.

Despite retracing most of its gains since the Trump election rally in November 2024, Ethereum (ETH) has seen a surge in demand from long-term investors, according to analysts at Matrixport. This increase is attributed to the growing purchases of ETH by members of the World Financial Liberty, a decentralized finance group associated with former President Donald Trump.

As previously reported, the World Financial Liberty plans to establish a "strategic reserve" consisting of various altcoins. However, the precise purpose of this reserve remains uncertain.

Despite the increased acquisition of Ethereum by the World Financial Liberty, market sentiment remains cautious ahead of Ethereum's Pectra upgrade. Scheduled for launch on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets in February and March, the upgrade is expected to go live on the mainnet in April. However, analysts note that expectations for a significant price movement are subdued compared to previous upgrades.

"Without a clear bullish catalyst, ETH prices may continue to struggle," Matrixport analysts stated. "Ethereum's market dominance has already declined to just 10%."

The broader altcoin market, including Dogecoin (DOGE), XRP (XRP), and Solana (SOL), has also experienced downward pressure. As reported previously, the fear and greed index has reached its lowest level since October 2024, indicating growing fear in the market. Historically, periods of market fear have often led to declines in cryptocurrency prices.

The altcoin season index has also fallen to 33, compared to 47 at the beginning of the year. This suggests a decrease in demand for altcoins relative to Bitcoin (BTC). While Bitcoin has maintained relative stability, the decline in the altcoin index indicates a preference for Bitcoin among investors.