Vitalik network upgrade and $3,600 trail ahead
Crypto writer
Arslan Butt
Crypto writer
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Ethereum (ETH/USD) holds above $3,130 after breaking out of a descending price channel. At the same time, co-founder Vitalik Buterin presented a major roadmap that could redefine the structure of blockchain over the next four years. Together, the technical and network fundamentals align for what could be Ethereum's most transformative phase since the merger.
Ethereum is reclaiming the ground above $3,100
Ethereum has gained 1.24% in the last 24 hours and is currently hovering around $3,100, with a market cap of $378 billion. After finally breaking out of that nasty slump, it looks like the sideways trading is finally done and dusted for now – which is good news for short-term bulls.
On the 4-hour chart, you can see that ETH is making a string of higher lows and higher highs – a good sign that buyers are regaining strength, and it's all thanks to that 50-EMA crossing above the 100-EMA.
And if we look at the RSI, it is only falling above 70, which tells us that the growth is in good health without worrying too much. Of course, the first resistance to be faced is the $3305 mark, followed by $3432.
ZK-EVM and PeerDAS will change the network
Vitalik Buterin, as ZK-EVMs and PeerDAS move from concept to implementation, Ethereum has reached “a fundamentally new type of decentralized network”.
He described the combination as a breakthrough that “solves the trilemma of blockchain” — decentralization, consensus and high bandwidth all at once.
Key events of Buterin's post include:
2026: ZK-EVM nodes start rolling out. 2027–2030: Gas constraints increase, and distributed blockchain architecture reshapes network flows. In the long term, Ethereum aims to enable distributed blockchain construction – ensuring that no single party can control the flow of transactions.
These innovations can accelerate adoption by lowering costs, which will strengthen Ethereum's long-term value proposition beyond speculation.
Ethereum (ETH/USD) Technical Setup Hints in $3,430–$3,600 Range
Ethereum's price forecast has turned bullish as the candlesticks are sending some strong signals. A bullish engulfing candle has helped it break out of that channel, and it's spinning above, suggesting that the market may take a breather before moving again.
A measured move from this pattern is looking at $3430 as the next target – and if this momentum continues, it could easily push to $3600.
On the upside, we still have support near $3070, but if it breaks below $3010, that breakout is worthless. For traders looking to get in on the action, a long entry near $3100 could be the way to go with a target between $3300 and $3430.
Long-term view: A new era of Ethereum
Ethereum's alignment of strong fundamentals, network innovation and technical resilience bodes well for early 2026.
If Vitalik's vision of a distributed blockchain becomes a reality, Ethereum is poised to become a faster, fairer and more scalable blockchain – capable of hosting the next generation of decentralized finance and AI-driven applications.
With momentum building on the chain and the chart, ETH looks set to test the $3,600–$3,700 zone before targeting $4,000 for the year.
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