Ether Breaks $4K as Altcoin Inflows Accelerate Amid Broader Crypto Optimism
Ethereum surged above $4,000 on Thursday for the first time since December, fueled by a combination of regulatory clarity, expectations of lower U.S. interest rates, and increasing adoption of crypto treasuries by companies.
The second-largest cryptocurrency rose 3.5% over the past 24 hours, bringing its year-to-date gains to 25% and posting a 112% increase compared to the same time last year.
While Ether outperformed, Bitcoin remained flat at around $116,800, resulting in a significant shift in the ETH/BTC ratio. The metric rose 3% in just the past hour and is now up 42% over the past month — nearing its highest levels of the year. However, the ratio is still down 4% on the year and 20% from a year ago, showing bitcoin’s longer-term strength.
The rally comes amid three key catalysts:
- The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to begin cutting rates.
- More companies are turning to altcoins for treasury management.
- The SEC has officially dropped its long-running lawsuit against Ripple.
Other major altcoins also posted gains. XRP jumped 9%, Solana (SOL) rose 3.5%, and Dogecoin (DOGE) climbed 5.3% in the past day.
Ether-linked equities followed suit, with Bitmine Immersion (BMNR) up 13% and Sharplink Gaming (SBET) gaining 4% on the day.
