Ether (ETH) has been hovering around the $3,600 level for the past three days, with a remarkable 58.8% increase in price since February that some traders may have overlooked. While uncertainty surrounding the approval of a spot Ether exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the U.S. is seen as a limiting factor, the surge in Ether futures open interest points towards strong demand from institutional investors.
The upcoming decision on the Ether spot ETF in May is crucial for Ether’s price trajectory. The recent indictment by the United States Justice Department against the cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin has sparked debates within the industry. While some view it as a negative development due to increased regulatory scrutiny, others believe it could actually enhance the chances of a spot Ether ETF approval by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by May 25.
The complaint filed by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) against KuCoin on March 26 for illegal trading activities emphasized Bitcoin (BTC), Ether, and Litecoin (LTC) as commodities falling under its jurisdiction. This move challenges the SEC’s stance on Ether potentially being classified as a security.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink recently mentioned in an interview that listing an Ether ETF could still be plausible even if regulators consider it a security. On the other hand, Bloomberg’s senior ETF analyst James Seyffart has reiterated his prediction of a denial in May, citing CFTC’s recognition of Ether as a commodity since at least February 2021.
The growth of the Ether futures market, particularly on regulated platforms like the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), has attracted hedge funds and large asset managers due to increased liquidity. However, the record high in aggregate Ether futures open interest on March 28 should not be automatically interpreted as a bullish signal.
Binance leads in ETH futures market positions, followed by Bybit and CME Ether futures. The recent surge cannot solely be attributed to institutional interest, as the derivatives market indicates a balanced volume of long and short positions influenced by leverage demand.
Recent data on Ether perpetual futures funding rate shows a rise in demand for leveraged long positions, indicating moderate bullish sentiment. Analysis of the Ether options market provides further insight, with the delta skew metric suggesting a neutral market stance as traders show less optimism in surpassing the $3,800 mark compared to previous data.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not offer investment advice. Readers are advised to conduct their own research and analysis before making any investment decisions.