Ether (ETH) must surpass $2,150 to continue rising, suggests analyst Ted Pillows.
The increase in active addresses reflects an expansion in the use of DeFi and stablecoins.
The price of ether (ETH), the cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network, has managed to consolidate above the $2,000 barrier since last March 9.
During these days, the cryptocurrency has traded in a range between 2,030 and 2,080 dollars, which represents an increase of 2.5% in the last seven days. This movement returns the price to an area of historical support, supported by a notable rebound in network usage and the volume of transactions with smart contracts.
Since the beginning of 2026, daily active addresses have seen accelerated growth, reaching levels of 1 million during February and so far in March.
According to the analysis and research firm XWIN Research, “the increase in active addresses reflects an expansion in the use of decentralized finance (DeFi), stablecoins, and automated interactions with smart contracts.”
The entity adds that despite being “in a period of low price performance, the Ethereum network continues to attract users and transactions.”
This phenomenon marks a contrast with respect to previous cycles, in which the network activity used to collapse along with the price of the asset. This fact suggests a change in the market structure, being a sign of very strong interest and maturity of the ecosystem.
“This divergence suggests that the underlying adoption of the network could be strengthening, potentially supporting ether’s long-term fundamentals despite short-term market volatility,” they point out from XWIN Research.
Recovery is not final
Despite the optimism due to the increase in users, technical analysis suggests ether price recovery is not definitive.
The market analyst Ted Pillows exhibits that ether “needs a daily close above the $2,150 level for a rally towards $2,400,” as seen in the chart showing key support and resistance levels.
For the specialist, the level of USD 2150 is crucial to validate the trend, as he warns that if said movement does not consolidate“there is a considerable possibility that ETH falls towards new lows.”
The interpretation of this data requires caution, since the volume of activity does not always translate into immediate purchasing pressure. It often happens that active addresses rise vertically while the price falls, indicating a capitulation.
Under this premise, a large number of users could be moving their assets at the same time to exit the market or close positions in the face of fear about the bearish cycle.
Price faces resistance
In that sense, the current context must be taken into account. And while the cryptocurrency shows technical strength, the price faces resistance because there is greater selling pressure than the inflow of new money. All this occurs in a panorama of geopolitical uncertainty, which is affecting the performance of the markets.
Therefore, the current jump to one million active addresses suggests mass adoptionpossibly driven by Layer 2 (L2) solutions or new protocols that have reduced transaction costs. This infrastructure has allowed the ecosystem to maintain its relevance against competing networks.
However, this infrastructure faces a conceptual debate. As reported by CriptoNoticias, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, pointed out that the role played by layers 2 needs an urgent redefinition. According to the developer, given the drop in commissions on the main network, many L2s have lost meaning having used low costs as their main competitive flag.
It is understood, therefore, that the sustainability of ether’s rise will depend on whether organic activity in DeFi and stablecoins manages to absorb the circulating supply. For now, the network demonstrates operational resilience that seeks to be validated by price action in global markets.