Ethereum Shows Signs Of Strength With Stronger Network Activity Supporting Growth

bitcoinistPublished on 2026-05-14Last updated on 2026-05-14

Abstract

Despite a slight price pullback, Ethereum's fundamentals show strength, driven by robust network activity and transaction growth. The altcoin has broken out of a multi-year consolidation phase, suggesting potential for significant upward movement. Over 7.33 million ETH (6% of supply) is locked on corporate balance sheets, and Ethereum's inflation rate is now lower than Bitcoin's post-Merge. Network performance is surging, with transaction volumes on the mainnet and Layer 2 solutions reaching all-time highs. Ethereum maintains a dominant 55-60% share of the Total Value Locked (TVL) in DeFi since mid-2022, reinforced by deep collateral markets and proven resilience. It hosts 50% of all stablecoin market capitalization and over 60% of tokenized real-world assets, indicating strong institutional trust and sticky capital. Experts note the fundamentals are aligning with the positive technical chart setup, strengthening investor conviction in Ethereum's long-term value.

While the price of Ethereum may have slightly pulled back, the underlying structure and fundamentals continue to show signs of strength. At the same time, the ETH network is demonstrating robust performance as transaction activity sees a steady increase across the blockchain.

Growing Network Strength Pushes Ethereum Back Into Focus

Ethereum’s recent upward momentum in the past few days is not only seen in its price action. This renewed strength is being observed across the ETH ecosystem as the network’s performance surges, which is triggering fresh momentum in the market.

During the period, there has been rising transaction activity, stronger on-chain engagement, and continued growth in key sectors that appear to be strengthening investors’ conviction in the network’s long-term value.

After examining the ETH chart in the monthly time frame, Leon Waidmann, a market expert and head of research at Lisk, revealed that the altcoin is currently exhibiting a trend that has caught the attention of the market. The chart shows a three-year sideways consolidation in a clean range supported by a breakout. Specifically, the momentum indicator at the bottom just broke out of its multi-year base.

ETH has been ranging since 2023, and building energy at the base of the structure. After a period of building strength, the altcoin has broken above the multi-year resistance, which has created a classic accumulation before a major move.

Source: Chart from Leon Waidmann on X

Consolidation phases are sometimes a positive reaction as they can precede upside movement. Waidmann noted that the longer the consolidation phase, the bigger the move out of it will be. What makes this period interesting is the increased network performance that is coinciding with the current momentum.

As stated by the expert, over 7.33 million ETH, representing 6% of all ETH supply, are locked on corporate balance sheets. Furthermore, inflation across the ETH ecosystem is currently lower than that of Bitcoin since the introduction of the Merge update. Other significant achievements include the surge in transactions on the ETH mainnet and layer 2 solutions, reaching new all-time highs. “The fundamentals are catching up, and the chart is setting up,” Waidmann added.

ETH Dominating DeFi And Lending

Etherealize has shared a recent report from Galaxy Research regarding Ethereum. In the report, the platform’s VP Research noted that ETH’s TVL market share has held remarkably steady at roughly 55% to 60% since mid-2022. The ETH network is witnessing notable liquidity, reinforcing its dominance in lending and DeFi.

This is due to the depth of its collateral markets, oracle infrastructure, and surviving multiple market crashes. Such development leads to the creation of a trust premium that newer chains cannot quickly replicate, particularly for the largest allocators whose risk tolerance is the lowest.

Also, stablecoin issuance on the network has skyrocketed to 50% of all stablecoin market cap, and over 60% of all tokenized real-world assets are issued on ETH. According to the platform, this is possibly some of the stickiest capital on Ethereum because institutional RWA issuers select a chain after months of legal examination, custodian integration, and compliance sign-off.

ETH trading at $2,301 on the 1D chart | Source: ETHUSDT on Tradingview.com

Related Questions

QDespite a slight price pullback, what shows signs of strength for Ethereum according to the article?

AThe underlying structure and fundamentals of Ethereum, particularly the robust network performance and steady increase in transaction activity, show signs of strength.

QWhat key on-chain metrics are strengthening investor conviction in Ethereum's long-term value?

ARising transaction activity, stronger on-chain engagement, and continued growth in key sectors are strengthening investor conviction.

QWhat did analyst Leon Waidmann note about Ethereum's multi-year consolidation phase on the monthly chart?

AHe noted that the longer the consolidation phase, the bigger the move out of it will be, describing it as a classic accumulation before a major move.

QWhat is Ethereum's approximate TVL (Total Value Locked) market share in DeFi since mid-2022, as cited in the Galaxy Research report?

AEthereum's TVL market share has held remarkably steady at roughly 55% to 60% since mid-2022.

QWhat specific achievements highlight Ethereum's dominance in stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs)?

AStablecoin issuance on Ethereum is 50% of the total market cap, and over 60% of all tokenized real-world assets are issued on the network.

Related Reads

AI Relay Stations Spark Heated Debate on Zhihu: Behind Cheap Tokens, What Are Users Really Worried About?

A discussion on Zhihu about "AI relay stations" shifted the niche developer topic of "cheap tokens" into broader user awareness. Users moved beyond simply questioning the legitimacy of these services to focus on practical concerns: Where do cheap tokens truly come from? Is the model being accessed the real one? Can relay stations see prompts, code, and API keys? For occasional users, are the risks worth it? The core debate centered less on price and more on trust. A primary worry is model authenticity—the risk of "model swapping," where users paying for a premium model might be routed to a cheaper one, creating an information asymmetry. Others argued that cost comparisons matter; while cheaper than official pay-as-you-go APIs, relay stations may not be the lowest-cost option versus subscriptions, domestic models, or free tiers, making user needs assessment crucial. Speculation about token sources ranged from legitimate bulk discounts to gray-area methods like account sharing or exploiting regional pricing. This opacity makes risk assessment difficult for users. Data security emerged as a critical concern, especially for enterprise use. When processing sensitive information like code, contracts, or client data, the inability to verify a relay station's data handling, retention, or access policies poses significant compliance and confidentiality risks. The evolving consensus suggests relay stations can be used cautiously for low-sensitivity, disposable tasks (e.g., summarizing public info, simple translation). However, they should not be the default for sensitive, professional, or production workflows involving proprietary data, Agents, or automated systems. Recommendations include avoiding large prepayments, not relying on a single service, using test prompts to monitor quality, anonymizing data where possible, and keeping official channels as backups. Ultimately, the discussion framed tokens not just as a billing unit but as a measure of real cost encompassing price, model integrity, data security, and service stability. The popularity of relay stations highlights user demand for affordable access, but the debate underscores a key trade-off: the savings from cheap tokens may come at the price of trust, transparency, and control over one's data and AI experience.

marsbit19m ago

AI Relay Stations Spark Heated Debate on Zhihu: Behind Cheap Tokens, What Are Users Really Worried About?

marsbit19m ago

In-Depth Research Report on TradFi: The Convergence Wave of Crypto and Traditional Finance

In 2026, the crypto industry is undergoing a profound infrastructure-level transformation—TradFi assets are migrating on-chain at an unprecedented pace. According to CoinGecko's Q1 2026 report, the total value locked (TVL) of tokenized real-world assets (RWA) has surpassed $31 billion, a nearly 4x increase from $7.8 billion at the beginning of 2025, with the sector’s aggregate market capitalization reaching $19.3 billion. Among these, the market cap of tokenized stocks surged from $2 million to $486 million, with Q1 spot trading volume reaching $15.1 billion—a single quarter already surpassing the entire second half of 2025. RWA perpetual contract Q1 trading volume reached a staggering $524.8 billion, far exceeding the $313 billion for all of 2025. Meanwhile, BlackRock's BUIDL fund has reached $2.3 billion in scale and has filed for two new tokenized funds, signaling that the world's largest asset manager's tokenization strategy is evolving from pilot to product suite expansion. HTX, as a core participant in the crypto exchange sector, officially launched TradFi perpetual futures products including NVDA, AAPL, MSFT, META, and SPY in 2026, enabling crypto users to gain 24/7 trading access to core U.S. equities. Boston Consulting Group predicts that global tokenized asset scale could reach $16 trillion by 2030, while McKinsey offers a conservative estimate of approximately $2 trillion. The on-chain migration of TradFi assets is no longer a "future narrative" but a structural transformation unfolding in real time, as crypto exchanges evolve from single crypto asset trading platforms toward "multi-asset-class trading infrastructure."

HTX Learn22m ago

In-Depth Research Report on TradFi: The Convergence Wave of Crypto and Traditional Finance

HTX Learn22m ago

Blocked Its Own Treasure, WeChat AI Steps Up

Tencent's stock surged over 10% on June 2nd amid reports that WeChat, with 1.43 billion monthly users, is finalizing tests for a native AI Agent. The reported feature, accessible by swiping right from the main interface, allows users to issue commands in natural language. The AI then decomposes tasks and automatically calls upon relevant Mini Programs within WeChat to complete actions like ordering food, booking tickets, or making payments, creating a closed-loop service execution system. This strategic shift follows the internal conflict and subsequent "blocking" of Tencent's standalone AI app, Yuanbao, by WeChat for violating sharing rules during a 2026 Spring Festival promotion. The incident highlighted a lack of internal consensus and exposed the weakness of competing in the standalone AI assistant arena against rivals like ByteDance's Doubao (345M MAU) and Alibaba's Qianwen. The new WeChat AI Agent aims to leverage WeChat's unique assets—its massive user base, standardized Mini Program APIs, WeChat Pay, and identity system—to move from simple content generation to actual task execution. Analysts note this changes the competitive landscape from model benchmarks to which AI can connect to more real-world services. However, success depends on key variables: the capability of Tencent's underlying Hunyuan model, managing massive inference costs, and redesigning incentives for Mini Program developers whose traffic might be bypassed. The move is seen as an attempt to keep user service intent within WeChat's ecosystem as AI begins to redefine how users access services.

marsbit1h ago

Blocked Its Own Treasure, WeChat AI Steps Up

marsbit1h ago

ByteDance Adopts Arm CPUs, Jensen Huang: So Sad I Didn't Buy Arm

**Summary:** At Computex 2026, Arm CEO Rene Haas announced that ByteDance and Oracle have adopted Arm's self-designed Arm AGI data center CPU. The company expects significant revenue growth from this product, projecting $20 billion in demand for the 2027/2028 fiscal years. Haas noted that restricting AI-capable CPUs from the US to China is nearly impossible due to their widespread applications. Arm's stock has surged dramatically this year, notably rising 16% after NVIDIA's Arm-based Vera CPU and RTX Spark announcements. A highlight was the informal, humorous on-stage conversation between Haas and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang. Huang joked about NVIDIA's failed attempt to acquire Arm and playfully lamented selling his Arm shares. Both executives showed a clear sense of camaraderie and shared regret over the missed merger. Key technical topics were discussed: 1. **AI PC Design:** Huang explained NVIDIA's RTX Spark superchip (with a 20-core Arm CPU) is designed for future AI agents that will autonomously run and use tools on PCs, blending local and cloud processing. 2. **Agent vs. OS:** Huang emphasized the operating system remains crucial, as AI agents rely on its APIs and tools to function. 3. **Growth Constraints:** He identified the shift to "useful AI" that generates profitable tokens as a primary driver for immense, almost limitless, computational demand. Haas outlined Arm's strategy across PC and data centers. For PCs, Arm collaborates with partners like NVIDIA and MediaTek, offering its compute subsystem (CSS) for custom SoCs. In data centers, its Arm AGI CPU (built on TSMC's 3nm process) has gained major partners including OpenAI, Meta, and now ByteDance and Oracle. Arm presented a multi-year roadmap for its in-house CPU line. The article concludes that while GPUs dominated the AI training race, the explosion of AI agents is shifting significant focus to CPUs for inference, state management, and tool orchestration. The industry is trending towards vertical integration, with companies like cloud providers designing chips and chip/IP firms offering full solutions, all competing to deliver more efficient computing per watt.

marsbit1h ago

ByteDance Adopts Arm CPUs, Jensen Huang: So Sad I Didn't Buy Arm

marsbit1h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

Hot Articles

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of ETH (ETH) are presented below.

活动图片