Bull, Base, And Bear Scenarios Unpacked
Ethereum (ETH) has struggled by the primary quarter of the yr and the opening stretch of the second, but it surely has managed to carry a vital line close to the $2,000 mark.
A brand new report from market professional Sam Daodu breaks down three potential paths for ETH for the rest of 2026, with every state of affairs tied to catalysts that would push the community’s main altcoin again above $4,000.
Bullish Pathway For Ethereum
Daodu’s analysis begins with the value motion. Ethereum, he notes, has been trending downward because the begin of the yr, with solely a short-lived restoration. ETH started 2026 round $3,100, later sank to a low of $1,743 in February—its weakest level since early 2023.
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After that, the token has spent a lot of the yr transferring sideways between roughly $2,000 and $2,400, suggesting consolidation moderately than a transparent rebound. A key driver within the report is the upcoming Glamsterdam improve, which Daodu says might be the deciding issue for whether or not ETH revisits the $4,000 stage throughout 2026.
In his bullish state of affairs, Glamsterdam is assumed to launch on schedule in June. The improve would lower fuel charges by 78.6% and carry throughput to as a lot as 10,000 transactions per second.
On the similar time, the information across the improve is predicted to speed up Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows, and the report additionally assumes Bitcoin (BTC) breaks above $90,000. With these situations in place, Daodu suggests ETH might transfer above $4,000 within the third quarter, and end the yr between $5,000-$7,500.
ETH May Retest The February 2026 Low
Within the base case, the story is extra subdued. Daodu expects Glamsterdam to ship, however with no robust instant market response. ETF inflows stay optimistic however sluggish, and Bitcoin is assumed to rise above $85,000 with out delivering a decisive breakout that might strongly re-ignite threat urge for food.
Below this state of affairs, Ethereum remains to be projected to clear $3,000 within the third quarter, then check $4,000 within the final stretch of 2026. The year-end consequence, nevertheless, is extra restrained: ETH would shut between $3,000 and $4,200.
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The bear case is constructed round delays and macro strain. Daodu assumes Glamsterdam is both pushed again till the final quarter of the yr or launches with deployment bugs.
He additionally provides a extra risk-off atmosphere by projecting that Bitcoin might fall beneath $70,000, pushed by inflation information or renewed hawkishness from the Federal Reserve (Fed), together with ETF outflows returning.
If these assumptions play out, ETH would probably fail to carry present help and break beneath $2,085. From there, the report suggests Ethereum might retest the February 2026 low close to $1,743, after which finish the yr at or beneath as we speak’s value.
On this bearish state of affairs, the thought of Ethereum transferring previous $4,000 would probably shift right into a 2027 dialogue moderately than remaining a 2026 goal. For now, the main altcoin trades at $2,134.
Featured picture created with OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
