Arthur Hayes, Tom Lee buy Ethereum’s dip as retail panic: What’s going on?

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-02-18Last updated on 2026-02-18

Abstract

Amid Ethereum's 37% decline to around $2,013, institutional investors are buying the dip while retail panics. Arthur Hayes deposited 1,000 ETH ($1.99M) into Bybit, and Tom Lee’s Bitmine acquired 45,759 ETH ($90.83M), despite sitting on an $8.03B unrealized loss. Analysts note Ethereum is in a "market coldness" phase with low sentiment, as shown by MVRV and other metrics near zero. Recent buyers are at a loss, and short-term trader activity is flat. Some, like Borovik, predict a long-term recovery to $10,000 by 2027, but current price action shows weak buying interest and sideways movement. The $2,000 level remains a critical psychological and technical support.

While small investors are panicking over Ethereum’s sharp 37% drop in the last month, big institutions are reacting very differently.

At press time, Ethereum [ETH] was trading around $2,013, a level that looks risky to many. But for some of the biggest names in crypto, this crash is an opportunity rather than a warning sign.

Arthur Hayes and Tom Lee’s Bitmine adds Ethereum

According to Lookonchain, Arthur Hayes deposited 1,000 ETH worth about $1.99 million into Bybit, showing active positioning during market volatility.

At the same time, Tom Lee’s Bitmine bought another 45,759 ETH worth $90.83 million, increasing its total holdings to 4,371,497 ETH valued at $8.68 billion.

With an average entry price of around $3,821, the firm is now sitting on an unrealized loss of more than $8.03 billion.

This comes as Ethereum continues to struggle near key levels. Still, despite the weak price action, some analysts remain optimistic about its long-term recovery.

For instance, Borovik noted,

“ ETH is down 33% since the start of 2026.I think ETH is bottoming here. I predict $10,000 ETH by the end of 2027.”

Does Ethereum look weak or healthy?

Ethereum is now in what analysts call a phase of market coldness. Data from Alphractal shows that Ethereum’s Market Temperature, which tracks indicators like MVRV, RVT, and NUPL, is near zero.

In simple terms, this means market emotions have almost disappeared.

In the past, such cold phases usually appeared after retail investors had already sold in fear. When this happens, greed fades and is replaced by hesitation and low confidence, leaving the market quiet and depressed.

Ethereum’s price reflects this shift. After falling from $4,500, ETH is now stuck near $2,000 with no strong rebound. Instead of a swift recovery, prices are moving sideways, showing weak buying interest.

What does the MVRV ratio tell us about ETH’s next move?

The red and yellow zones on the chart show how different traders are feeling.

The red zone tracks people who bought Ethereum in the last 30 days, and it is deep in the negative. This means most recent buyers are losing money, which makes them frustrated and more likely to sell when prices rise.

The yellow zone tracks short-term traders over 24 hours. Presently, it is flat and quiet, showing that even day traders have lost interest. Normally, strong bottoms come with big moves in this area, but that is missing.

Together, these signals point to a low-energy market. Long-term buyers are stuck in losses, and short-term traders are inactive.

What’s more?

This follows Jeffrey Huang’s recent move, where he was taking a much riskier path. According to Lookonchain, Huang lost over $27.5 million in just 20 days and has been liquidated 145 times since late 2025.

Yet, instead of cutting risk, he has become more aggressive, selling spot holdings to fund highly leveraged bets on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and HYPE.

All these movements show that Ethereum is in a tough spot, and if buyers fail to regain confidence soon, even the strongest investors may come under serious pressure.


Final Summary

  • Hayes has a history of buying when sentiment is weakest and prices look most risky.
  • The $2,000 level has become a key psychological and technical support for Ethereum.

Related Questions

QWhat actions did Arthur Hayes and Tom Lee's Bitmine take regarding Ethereum during the recent price drop?

AArthur Hayes deposited 1,000 ETH worth about $1.99 million into Bybit, while Tom Lee's Bitmine bought 45,759 ETH worth $90.83 million, increasing its total holdings significantly.

QWhat is the current state of Ethereum's 'Market Temperature' and what does it indicate?

AEthereum's Market Temperature, which tracks indicators like MVRV, RVT, and NUPL, is near zero. This indicates that market emotions have almost disappeared, a phase of market coldness characterized by hesitation and low confidence.

QWhat does the MVRV ratio reveal about the sentiment of different Ethereum traders?

AThe MVRV ratio shows that recent buyers (last 30 days) are deep in the negative, meaning they are losing money and are likely to sell on any price rise. Short-term traders (24 hours) are also inactive, showing a lack of interest, which points to a low-energy market.

QWhat is Borovik's prediction for Ethereum's price by the end of 2027?

ABorovik predicts that Ethereum will reach $10,000 by the end of 2027, stating that he believes ETH is bottoming at its current price level.

QWhat risky behavior has Jeffrey Huang exhibited in the market according to the article?

AJeffrey Huang lost over $27.5 million in just 20 days and has been liquidated 145 times since late 2025. Instead of reducing risk, he became more aggressive by selling spot holdings to fund highly leveraged bets on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and HYPE.

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