Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has reached a new all-time high, surpassing the $3,000 mark and approaching the $4,000 level. This venture was driven by several factors, including institutional interest, technological development, and expectations of an Ethereum ETF in the United States.
Institutional interest in Ethereum
Institutional interest in Ethereum is growing, with more and more investors seeing this cryptocurrency as an alternative or complement to Bitcoin. Ethereum offers a decentralized platform for the development of blockchain-based applications, called smart contracts, which can revolutionize different industries such as finance, art, Play to Earn, and others. Some of the most well-known Ethereum-based applications are DeFi (decentralized finance), NFTs (non-fungible tokens), and DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations).
Ethereum’s technological development
Ethereum’s technological development is constantly evolving, with plans to move from a proof-of-work (PoW)-based consensus mechanism to one based on proof-of-stake (PoS), which is expected to improve the network’s efficiency, security, and scalability. This step is expected with the Dencun update, which is expected to be rolled out later this year. In addition, Ethereum is working on so-called “proto-danksharding,” which is expected to increase speed and reduce transaction costs on the network.
Expectations of an Ethereum ETF in the United States
The expectations of an Ethereum ETF in the United States are another factor that has helped push the price of Ethereum higher. An ETF (exchange-traded fund) is a fund that tracks the performance of an index or an underlying asset, such as a cryptocurrency, and can be traded on an exchange like a stock. The approval of an Ethereum ETF could lead to increased demand and liquidity for this cryptocurrency, as well as offer traditional investors a regulated channel to access the cryptocurrency market.
At the moment, there are several Ethereum ETF proposals awaiting approval from the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), the US regulator.
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