Ethereum Price Pumps 3% As Vitalik Buterin Proposes Gas Futures Market

The Ethereum price pumped 3% in the last 24 hours to trade at $3,160 as of 3.52 a.m. on a 165% increase in trading volume to $26.3 billion.

The surge in the ETH price comes as Vitalik Buterin proposes a new on-chain futures market for gas fees, allowing users to lock in transaction costs for future periods instead of guessing what they might pay when the network gets busy.

The proposal aims to make gas prices more stable and transparent for traders, developers, and institutions.​

Under this model, high‑volume users could buy contracts that secure a base fee for blockspace in advance, similar to how oil or grain futures work in traditional finance. Supporters say this could turn gas into a more predictable input cost.

This may encourage larger businesses and DeFi protocols to build and scale on Ethereum with fewer worries about sudden fee spikes.​

The average Ethereum fees have trended lower in 2025 but remain volatile. Basic transfers now cost around a cent, while more complex transactions range from a few cents to under a dollar.

Buterin argues that a futures market would not only help users hedge this volatility but also send clear signals about long‑term expectations for network fees.​

Ethereum Price Signals Rising Confidence

On-chain data shows that the Ethereum network continues to handle steady activity and that fees are staying low compared with previous bull markets. Analytics platforms report that average transaction fees this year have swung between roughly $0.18 at the lows and around $2.60 at the highs before settling closer to $0.30 recently.

At the same time, cheaper and more predictable fees have helped keep DeFi, NFT, and layer‑2 activity healthy. Many traders and app users are shifting between mainnet and rollups based on cost and speed.

Any future ability to lock in gas prices could support this trend by making it easier for protocols to plan for big launches, token distributions, or heavy trading days without worrying about surprise fee spikes.​

Exchange data also indicates that a portion of ETH continues to move off centralised platforms and into self‑custody or staking. A pattern often linked with longer‑term holding rather than short‑term selling.

Ethereum Consolidates Below Resistance At Key Fib Accumulation Zone

Ethereum price is trading around $3,160. After bouncing from late‑November lows near $2,700, and now sits below both the 50‑day and 200‑day simple moving averages. Which clusters just above price in the $3,350–$3,550 zone.

This area, along with a sloping resistance line from the March peak, forms a strong overhead barrier that bulls must clear to signal a more confident uptrend.​

The Fibonacci retracement levels drawn from the cycle low around $1,378 to the recent high near $4,957 show price hovering just above the 0.5–0.618 zone from the prior rally. Suggesting this region is acting as a medium‑term accumulation band

ETHUSD Chart Analysis Source: Tradingview .

If buyers manage to push ETH above the 50‑day SMA near $3,356 and then reclaim the 200‑day SMA around $3,544, the path opens for a move toward the mid‑channel resistance near $3,950 and then the prior high area around $4,950.​

The daily RSI sits just above 50, showing that the recent 3% pump has shifted control slightly back to the bulls without pushing the market into overbought territory.

The MACD line is attempting to cross upward from negative territory, which, if confirmed, would support the case for a gradual trend reversal, while the ADX around the mid‑30s hints that a new directional move could be building strength.​

Key Supports Hold as Bulls Target $3,500–$4,000

In the near term, key support sits around $3,000, where recent consolidation and a minor horizontal level align. Followed by stronger backing around $2,740 near the lower boundary of the ascending channel and the 0.618 Fib region.

As long as the ETH price holds above this band, dips may attract fresh buyers who see the gas futures proposal and ongoing network improvements as reasons to position for a potential move back toward $3,500 and possibly $4,000 in the coming weeks.​

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