The post Ethereum Breaks Against Bitcoin—Has the Crypto Rotation Begun? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Ethereum (ETH) price has finally shown its first real sign of strength in months. The ETH/BTC pair has broken above a 3.5-month descending trendline—a level that has consistently blocked Ethereum’s relative performance since early September. While this move has triggered fresh optimism across the market, calling it an “altcoin season trigger” would be premature. The breakout is meaningful, but the evidence points to an early signal rather than a confirmed trend reversal.
The breakout is structurally valid: ETH/BTC closed above the descending trendline with clear rejection wicks turning into support. Momentum is improving, and the pair’s posture is stronger than at any point in Q4. However, volume remains moderate, meaning the move is driven more by structural exhaustion than aggressive accumulation.
This is important because trendline breaks without volume often behave as “early warnings,” not definitive rotations. ETH/BTC has also not yet formed a higher high—another key requirement for sustained trend reversal. In short: the breakout matters, but it’s not a guarantee.
ETH/BTC is one of the most reliable macro signals in crypto. When Ethereum strengthens against Bitcoin, capital often flows from BTC → ETH → large caps → mid caps → speculative tokens. But this cycle only activates if ETH shows convincing follow-through.
If ETH/BTC continues higher from here, large-cap altcoins like SOL, AVAX, LINK, ADA, and APT are typically the first beneficiaries. ETH pairs become more attractive, liquidity broadens, and risk appetite begins to reappear.
If the breakout fails, altcoins stall immediately. The market returns to Bitcoin-led dominance, and the rotation theme collapses before it even begins.
ETH/BTC breaking its 3.5-month downtrend is an important structural shift—but it’s only the opening move, not the full story. If the breakout holds, Ethereum could lead the next wave of market rotation. If it fails, the market remains firmly in Bitcoin’s grip. The next few sessions will reveal which path the market chooses.

Highlights: US prosecutors requested a 12-year prison sentence for Do Kwon after the Terra collapse. Terraform’s $40 billion downfall caused huge losses and sparked a long downturn in crypto markets. Do Kwon will face sentencing on December 11 and must give up $19 million in earnings. US prosecutors have asked a judge to give Do Kwon, Terraform Labs co-founder, a 12-year prison sentence for his role in the remarkable $40 billion collapse of the Terra and Luna tokens. The request also seeks to finalize taking away Kwon’s criminal earnings. The court filing came in New York’s Southern District on Thursday. This is about four months after Kwon admitted guilt on two charges: wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud. Prosecutors said Kwon caused more losses than Samuel Bankman-Fried, Alexander Mashinsky, and Karl Sebastian Greenwood combined. U.S. prosecutors have asked a New York federal judge to sentence Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon to 12 years in prison, calling his role in the 2022 TerraUSD collapse a “colossal” fraud that triggered broader crypto-market failures, including the downfall of FTX. Sentencing is… — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) December 5, 2025 Terraform Collapse Shakes Crypto Market Authorities explained that Terraform’s collapse affected the entire crypto market. They said it helped trigger what is now called the ‘Crypto Winter.’ The filing stressed that Kwon’s conduct harmed many investors and the broader crypto world. On Thursday, prosecutors said Kwon must give up just over $19 million. They added that they will not ask for any additional restitution. They said: “The cost and time associated with calculating each investor-victim’s loss, determining whether the victim has already been compensated through the pending bankruptcy, and then paying out a percentage of the victim’s losses, will delay payment and diminish the amount of money ultimately paid to victims.” Authorities will sentence Do Kwon on December 11. They charged him in March 2023 with multiple crimes, including securities fraud, market manipulation, money laundering, and wire fraud. All connections are tied to his role at Terraform. After Terra fell in 2022, authorities lost track of Kwon until they arrested him in Montenegro on unrelated charges and sent him to the U.S. Do Kwon’s Legal Case and Sentencing In April last year, a jury ruled that both Terraform and Kwon committed civil fraud. They found the company and its co-founder misled investors about how the business operated and its finances. Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, submitted the sentencing request in November. TERRA STATEMENT: “We are very disappointed with the verdict, which we do not believe is supported by the evidence. We continue to maintain that the SEC does not have the legal authority to bring this case at all, and we are carefully weighing our options and next steps.” — Zack Guzmán (@zGuz) April 5, 2024 The news of Kwon’s sentencing caused Terraform’s token, LUNA, to jump over 40% in one day, from $0.07 to $0.10. Still, this rise remains small compared to its all-time high of more than $19, which the ecosystem reached before collapsing in May 2022. In a November court filing, Do Kwon’s lawyers asked for a maximum five-year sentence. They argued for a shorter term partly because he could face up to 40 years in prison in South Korea, where prosecutors are also pursuing a case against him. The legal team added that even if Kwon serves time in the U.S., he would not be released freely. He would be moved from prison to an immigration detention center and then sent to Seoul to face pretrial detention for his South Korea charges. eToro Platform Best Crypto Exchange Over 90 top cryptos to trade Regulated by top-tier entities User-friendly trading app 30+ million users 9.9 Visit eToro eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.

