Ether ETH$3,936.26 hovered near $3,946 at 13:57 UTC on Oct. 25 after a high-volume rejection around $4,000 left price coiling below resistance, while analysts outlined five-digit scenarios and on-chain data pointed to larger wallets adding.

Analyst Ali Martinez projected a long-term path to $10,000, cautioning it may take longer than some expect; his weekly sketch implies a pullback into 2026 followed by a climb toward five digits around 2027–2028.

Separately, The Long Investor set a $13,500 target by 2029, framing a multiyear trajectory rather than a near-term call.

On the flows side, Santiment said “whales and sharks” holding 100–10,000 ETH have added back roughly one-sixth of the coins they sold between Oct. 5 and Oct. 16, describing that as a sign of improving confidence among larger accounts.

Together, the views lean constructive over a multi-year horizon, but they also imply that clearing major resistance levels must come first before momentum can compound.

According to CoinDesk Research’s technical analysis data model, ether ETH$3,936.26 moved from $3,955.91 to $3,937.05 over the prior 24-hour session ending this morning (UTC), a roughly $120 swing (about 3.1% intraday) that finished near the lower end. The model marks resistance in the $3,945–$4,000 zone and support around $3,870–$3,880, with an immediate shelf near $3,930. The structure reflects a narrowing range beneath a round-number ceiling and above a recently defended support area.

The key inflection came when volume jumped 188% above the 24-hour average — peaking at 444,887 contracts — during a failed push through the $4,000 level. Price briefly tagged $4,001.69 before sellers capped the move.

After that rejection, ETH made lower peaks and settled into a late-session rectangle between $3,930 and $3,940 as activity cooled. A smaller burst of 23,884 contracts lifted price toward $3,948, but it faded without follow-through above $3,945, reinforcing the idea that $3,945–$4,000 is the local cap that needs a decisive break.

A clean break and hold above $4,000 on UTC closes would open $4,100 and put early-month highs back in view; failing that, a loss of the immediate $3,930 shelf would likely send price to the $3,870–$3,880 demand area identified by the model. The analyst projections are multi-year and do not depend on a single day’s tape, but near-term traction still hinges on converting the high-$3,900s into support.

Over the same window, the CoinDesk 5 Index rose from 1,945.13 to 1,953.72 after reversing from an intraday low at 1,922.57 and stalling near 1,961.57, with support firming around 1,920–1,925 after multiple checks.

As of 13:57–13:58 UTC on Oct. 25, ETH was $3,946 (up 0.5% over the period). On the 24-hour chart, the session opened near $3,926, reached a high at $3,957 and a low at $3,876. In practical terms, $3,900–$3,920 acted as intraday buy zones, and $3,950–$3,960 capped rebounds ahead of the next attempt at $4,000.

On the one-month chart, ETH has rebounded from the mid-October dip and is grinding back toward $4,000, still below early-month highs — a setup that supports the analyst view of a longer road higher, provided resistance gives way and reclaimed levels hold on subsequent retests.

Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy.