Ethereum forms a bullish crossover seen before past rallies, as analysts track $3,200 breakout levels and ETH/BTC rotation builds strength.
Ethereum (ETH) is forming a familiar chart setup that has led to strong gains in past market cycles. On the 3-day chart, a MACD golden cross has aligned with a 9/21 moving average crossover. This same combination previously marked the beginning of large price increases.
In three recent cases, this same signal combination led to strong gains. ETH rose by over 61% in September 2024, gained 51% in April 2025, and jumped 89% in July 2025. Each rally began after the MACD turned positive, followed by a short-term moving average crossing above a longer one.
The current setup began forming on December 18, 2025. The crossover is confirmed, and MACD momentum has turned higher. ETH is trading near $3,140 at press time, with a daily volume of $22 billion. The price is up slightly on the day but is still lower by 3% over the past week.
In the meantime, Ethereum has been fluctuating between $2,600 and $3,350 over the last two months. Analysts are observing a rise beyond $3,200 as an indication to open the path to the $3,300-$4,000 range. Contrastingly, a major short-term support is at around $3,000.
CPI data is due today, and traders expect higher volatility. CW8900 noted that ETH “still has CME gap around 3k,” which could act as a magnet in the short term. Lennaert Snyder outlined possible trades for both directions, depending on how the price reacts to the $3,170 and $3,060 levels.
Ethereum’s value relative to Bitcoin is also being tracked closely. A chart from analyst Alex Wacy shows ETH/BTC moving out of a multi-year downtrend, similar to the one seen between 2015 and 2018. That earlier setup was followed by a large breakout in ETH’s favor.
The ETH/BTC ratio now sits at 0.0343. The chart points to a possible move toward 0.15, if the current breakout holds. Wacy described the move as “the biggest $ETH rotation in 8 years,” adding that it “tests patience, not intelligence.” The pattern appears similar, but the current market includes more capital and larger players.
Moreover, analyst Kyledoops shared that Standard Chartered has raised its ETH projections. The bank now sees the asset at $30,000 by 2029 and $40,000 by 2030. He clarified, “Not a trade call. Not cycle timing.” The view is based on Ethereum’s role in on-chain finance over time.
