Key Highlights
- Ethereum surged approximately 5% during Thursday’s session, reaching $2,508 and approaching the critical $2,560 resistance barrier
- Spot Ethereum ETFs in the United States recorded $141.39 million in net inflows on September 3, completely reversing the previous day’s $48 million exodus
- Bearish positions suffered $82.41 million in liquidations throughout the 24-hour period, significantly exceeding the $20.76 million wiped from bullish traders
- Broader market forces propelled the advance ā declining geopolitical tensions with Iran and reduced expectations for Federal Reserve rate increases
- Ethereum maintains its position above four critical exponential moving averages, with immediate targets at $2,560 followed by $2,600
Ethereum posted a substantial 5% gain on Thursday, September 4, driving the price toward $2,508. This breakout follows an extended consolidation period that confined trading between $2,400 and $2,560 for several weeks.

The upward momentum stemmed from broader macroeconomic developments rather than Ethereum-specific catalysts. Two significant events shifted market sentiment favorably. Initial reports indicated potential de-escalation in US-Iran tensions, alleviating risk-averse positioning throughout financial markets. Additionally, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller dampened expectations for an imminent rate increase, stating “Give disinflation a chance. We can wait one meeting.”
Employment statistics reinforced the dovish narrative. ADP’s August report revealed US private sector employers added merely 38,000 positions, falling short of the anticipated 47,000 and marking the slowest expansion since January. Market-implied probability for a September rate hike subsequently declined from 70% to 50%.
Market analyst Ted Pillows (@TedPillows) observed on X that Ethereum tested the $2,550 resistance level before facing rejection. He suggested that a weekly closing price above $2,550 might trigger an advance toward the $3,000 threshold.
Institutional Demand Shows Dramatic Turnaround
Following a $48.08 million outflow recorded on September 2, Ethereum spot exchange-traded funds experienced a dramatic reversal. September 3 witnessed net inflows totaling $141.39 million. BlackRock’s ETHA product dominated with $72.07 million in fresh capital, while Fidelity’s FETH contributed $65.11 million. Grayscale’s ETHE continued experiencing redemptions with negative $6.07 million. Total cumulative inflows across all Ethereum investment vehicles now reach $13.17 billion.

The correlation between fund activity and spot market performance proved remarkably tight across both sessions, with price action mirroring investment flows during both the decline and subsequent recovery.
Bearish Positions Face Severe Pressure
Ethereum derivatives trading volume expanded 17.84% to reach $57.18 billion over the 24-hour window. Open interest climbed 5.36% to $34.13 billion. Bearish position liquidations totaled $82.41 million compared with just $20.76 million from bullish traders ā indicating a pronounced short squeeze.

During the most recent hourly period, liquidation dynamics reversed. Bullish positions absorbed $193,090 in losses versus $33,200 for bearish traders, indicating bidirectional volatility rather than uninterrupted upward momentum.
Ethereum currently trades above all four key exponential moving averages. The 20-period EMA stands at $2,455.94, the 50-period at $2,438.36, the 100-period at $2,363.41, and the 200-period at $2,222.64. The upper boundary near $2,560 has consistently rejected upside attempts since August 27, including a brief spike to $2,555 on August 28 that failed to sustain.
Exchange-traded fund inflows recovered to $141.39 million on September 3, pushing cumulative institutional flows to $13.17 billion across all US-listed Ethereum investment products.


