Fusaka upgrade may boost activity with faster and cheaper use.
Ethereum price prediction this week focuses on one simple idea. The price needs a 9% climb toward $3,170 before any real strength begins. Ethereum trades near $2,900 at press time, and the chart shows buyers trying to return.
At the same time, the Fusaka upgrade arrives in a few days, and that can also push activity higher. Traders are watching both the price line and the upgrade window very closely.
Ethereum now sits under the first major level at $3,170. This level matters because it is the line where the last bounce failed.
A move above it needs about a 9% rise from the current price. If Ethereum clears this line, the chart opens room toward $3,247 and even $3,633. These levels come from earlier price stops, where traders changed direction in past months.
The chart also shows something important about moving averages. A moving average is a line that shows the average price over many days. Traders use it to see if a trend is weak or strong.
Earlier this month, the fast line crossed above the slow line; a bullish cross. It often appears when the selling power is slowing. The last time the fast line moved under the slow line, Ethereum dropped sharply. This time, the cross is different, and the price has stayed firm above the November lows.
It is worth noting that this time the bearish crossover was more dangerous, as it was the 50-day exponential moving average crossing under the 200-day, a death cross. The ETH price prediction still managed to stay bullish despite that.
The Fusaka upgrade goes live in a few days. It promises faster confirmations, lower fees, and cheaper NFT minting.
This is important because upgrades often bring more activity to a network. When transactions get cheaper and faster, more people use the network to move tokens, mint NFTs, or use apps. That kind of activity sometimes supports price because it adds more demand in general.
Traders also tend to build positions before upgrades. They expect higher use and better speed to help the network long term. This gives the Ethereum price prediction some support.
The upgrade alone cannot guarantee a rally, but it adds a strong base for December and early 2026. Something that Ethereum evangelist Tom Lee would be hopeful of.
Many investors also see upgrades as a sign that developers are moving fast and improving the network at the right time.
On-chain data also plays a part in the Ethereum price prediction. One popular metric is NUPL. It shows how many holders sit in profit or loss.
When NUPL falls toward low levels, it means most people are holding near their buy price or in loss. These zones sometimes show early bottoms because weak hands have already sold their coins.
Ethereum’s NUPL dropped to the same range seen before the strong 2025 rally, when ETH climbed from $2,230 to $4,829 in two months. The line is now turning upward again. A turn like this usually appears when selling slows and strong holders begin to take control.
Whale activity is mixed.
One large trader opened a long worth more than $40 million, showing confidence in a near-term climb.
But net capital change, which shows how much money enters or leaves the network, remains negative. This means some holders are still taking money out, not adding more.
This conflict makes the 9% move even more important because it would signal that buyers have finally taken control.
Ethereum price prediction stays positive only if ETH climbs above $3,170. A clear close above this line signals strength.
If ETH fails to break this level, the price may stay stuck in the same range, and any bounce can fade. The upgrade helps long-term, but the chart still needs buyers to make the first move.
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