Ethereum Whale Resurfaces After 10 Years as ETF Inflows and Price Momentum Diverge
TLDR:
- Ethereum (ETH) whale moves $5.16M after 10 years, realizing 8,226x gains from Genesis ICO.
- Ethereum ETFs saw $800M in June inflows, over 20% of total since launch.
- Price hovers near $2,627 with resistance at $3,200–$3,500, facing low volume.
- Institutions accumulate while long-term holders exit, signaling diverging sentiment.
An early Ethereum investor moved 2,000 ETH to Binance after a decade-long dormancy amid growing institutional activity. The move coincided with surging ETH ETF inflows in June, while price action hovers at critical resistance levels.
With Ethereum trading around $2,627, analysts are eyeing key price zones for confirmation or retracement.
Meanwhile, institutions appear to be doubling down on Ethereum despite its slowed momentum. This intersection of long-term holding, institutional accumulation, and technical hesitation shapes Ethereum’s near-term outlook.
Ethereum ICO Whale Ends 10-Year Dormancy
A decade-old Ethereum wallet resurfaced, transferring all 2,000 ETH, worth approximately $5.16 million, into Binance.
According to Spot On Chain, the whale received the ETH at Ethereum’s genesis in July 2015 when each token cost $0.31. The current value reflects an 8,226x return on the original investment of $620.
An #Ethereum ICO whale just finished depositing all 2,000 $ETH ($5.16M) into #Binance—after waking up from 10 years of dormancy yesterday!
The whale received the ETH at Genesis (Jul 30, 2015) at ~$0.31 each—then worth just $620.
That’s a $5.1M profit and an 8,226x return.… pic.twitter.com/x9ne35wdUU
— Spot On Chain (@spotonchain) June 16, 2025
Wallets that hold assets this long before moving them often trigger market speculation. Historical trends show that such transfers are typically associated with profit realization. Market participants watch these movements as they sometimes precede broader price shifts.
While retail attention focused on the whale’s activity, institutional capital continued flowing into ETH ETFs.
Crypto Beast reported that ETH ETFs received over $800 million in inflows during June 2025 alone. This figure represents more than 20% of all ETH ETF inflows since inception.
Over $800M has flowed into the $ETH ETF in June 2025 alone.
That’s more than 20% of all ETH ETF inflows to date.
Institutions aren’t just showing interest… they’re choosing Ethereum over Bitcoin. pic.twitter.com/ur8knQBjeN
— Crypto Beast (@cryptobeastreal) June 16, 2025
The spike suggests a growing institutional preference for Ethereum over Bitcoin. The analyst believes this shift may reflect confidence in Ethereum’s long-term utility and network fundamentals. Despite price uncertainties, institutional interest appears steady.
ETH Price Faces Resistance Despite Volume Uptick
Market analyst Marcus Corvinus shared a comparative chart of Ethereum and gold, highlighting the diverging momentum between the two.
Ethereum sits below a resistance zone near $4,100, showing signs of weakening volume and stalling momentum. While gold broke past its resistance, ETH appears to struggle to gain similar traction.
Current ETH price data from CoinGecko places Ethereum at $2,627.98, reflecting a 4.24% daily increase.
Over the past week, ETH has gained 5.54%, but volume remains relatively low. Without a strong push above the $3,200–$3,500 level, a potential pullback toward $2,500 is expected.
With ETF inflows rising and long-term holders exiting positions, ETH stands at a technical and sentiment crossroads. Traders now monitor whether institutional demand can outweigh retail uncertainty and resistance-based stagnation.
The price movement in the coming days will reveal if Ethereum can sustain its recent gains or revisit previous support levels. For now, the mix of whale exits, ETF momentum, and cautious technical signals keeps Ethereum in a delicate balance.
