Ethereum (ETH) is experiencing significant selling pressure, with its price dropping to as low as $1,848 in February 2026 and currently trading around $1,882. A combination of high-profile selling, rising exchange inflows, and declining staking demand is weighing heavily on the asset.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin sold over 8,800 ETH in February 2026, worth approximately $18.45 million. Blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain confirmed the transactions, noting that Buterin sold 6,958 ETH worth $14.78 million in early February, a period during which ETH fell 22.7% from $2,360 to $1,825. Over the past two days, he sold an additional 1,869 ETH for around $3.67 million, coinciding with a further 5.7% decline from $1,988 to $1,875. Buterin has stated these sales are part of a long-term plan to deploy funds toward initiatives, and Arkham Intelligence data shows he still holds 224,105 ETH.
On-chain data reveals concerning trends. Ethereum inflows to the Binance exchange over the past 30 days reached approximately $33.3 billion, the highest level since November 2025, according to CryptoQuant. Large exchange inflows often signal investors preparing to sell. Simultaneously, Ethereum staking demand has declined sharply, which increases the liquid ETH supply in the market, adding to short-term selling pressure.
A prominent bearish analysis adds to the negative sentiment. Crypto analyst Alexhiz on TradingView predicts that Ethereum could undergo a major macro correction, falling another 60% from current levels to around $600. The analyst argues this drop would represent a full market capitulation and liquidity reset, necessary for strong long-term accumulation by "stronger hands." Following this accumulation phase, the analyst projects an expansion phase where ETH could target the $10,000–$15,000 range in the 2028–2029 timeframe, based on historical cycle behavior and liquidity growth. The analyst notes that any recovery would be heavily dependent on Bitcoin's performance as the market leader.
