Share this article
Ether Hits $4K for First Time in More Than Two Years
The second-largest cryptocurrency last surpassed that level in December 2021.
Updated Mar 8, 2024, 10:54 p.m. Published Mar 8, 2024, 3:34 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Ether , the second-largest cryptocurrency by market value, hit $4,000 for the first time in more than two years on Friday.
The cryptocurrency had been climbing over the past few months alongside bitcoin, which reached record highs March 5. The last time ether was this high was Dec. 28, 2021.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Ether has outperformed bitcoin over the past 30 days, climbing 67%, while bitcoin rallied 57% and the CoinDesk 20 Index, a gauge of the broader crypto market, added 53%.
Ether has been rising on speculation of a spot ether exchange-traded fund (ETF) approval in the U.S. A regulatory decision is expected in May. Spot bitcoin ETFs were approved in January and have witnessed billions in net inflows.
The odds for approval of a spot ETF are not as clear for a spot bitcoin ETFs, according to Bitwise analysts. The analysts gave a 50%-60% chance of approval, saying it will happen "sooner or later."
The Ethereum blockchain's Dencun upgrade, scheduled for March 13, has also buoyed the token. The upgrade is expected to result in lower fees for users of layer-2 networks.
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Macro fears mask Ethereum’s momentum, SharpLink CEO says
SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom argues that macro uncertainty is hiding a massive institutional shift toward Ethereum-based tokenization.
What to know:
The context: Former BlackRock Head of Digital Assets Strategy, and SharpLink CEO, Joseph Chalom says institutional giants are betting heavily on Ethereum to serve as the global infrastructure for asset tokenization, ignoring current price stagnation.
He outlines three key drivers for a projected 10x surge in Ethereum activity this year:
- BlackRock’s Larry Fink has signaled strong conviction that Ethereum will be the "toll road" for tokenized assets.
- Over 65% of all stablecoins and tokenized assets live on Ethereum, dwarfing Solana by a factor of ten.
- High-value projects prioritize Ethereum's decade-long record of security and liquidity over faster, cheaper alternatives.
Top Stories
