Ethereum Layer 1 Upgrades, Institutional Inflows, and South Korea’s Crypto Surge Signal Bullish Momentum for ETH

Ethereum, led by co-founder Vitalik Buterin, is set for significant Layer 1 protocol upgrades targeting enhanced scalability, speed, and lower fees—moves expected to boost network performance and potentially drive ETH prices higher, possibly above $3,000, according to market analysts. These developments aim to reduce dependence on Layer 2 solutions and address network congestion, renewing investor confidence after a period of underperformance against other altcoins. Institutional demand remains strong, with inflows of approximately $1.2 billion, and whale activity has been notably active. Ethereum has maintained critical support around $2,600, reflecting market resilience. In South Korea, crypto trading has overtaken equities, with 16.29 million daily traders, and continued regulatory support is expected under the incoming administration, though capital controls could limit the development of a won-based stablecoin. Meanwhile, stablecoin issuer Circle has priced its IPO at $31 per share, achieving a $6.9 billion valuation, signaling growing institutional interest in digital assets. In the U.S., lawmakers are debating new crypto regulatory bills, though partisan conflicts remain, particularly regarding previous administration connections. Traders should closely monitor Ethereum and select ERC-20 tokens from emerging projects such as SOLX, BTCBULL, and CDR as market volatility persists and new network fundamentals evolve.