Ethereum’s Market Volatility Insights

Ethereum’s market volatility and the growth of stablecoins

Pedro M. Negron
IntoTheBlock
4 min readAug 31, 2024

--

Based on IntoTheBlock’s weekly newsletter. If you enjoy it, and would like to receive it every Friday make sure to sign up here!

Network Fees — Sum of total fees spent to use a particular blockchain. This tracks the willingness to spend and demand to use Bitcoin or Ether

  • Ethereum weekly fees declined by 20% as the average transaction fee reached an all-time low.

Exchanges Netflows — The net amount of inflows minus outflows of a specific crypto-asset going in/out of centralized exchanges

  • Bitcoin saw $803 million withdrawn from exchanges as upcoming interest rate cuts offered clarity for long-term holders.

Ethereum’s Market Volatility Insights

This week, we explore the latest trends in the cryptocurrency market, emphasizing the impact of Ethereum’s market volatility and the growth of stablecoins. We also explore Wyoming’s initiative to introduce a state-backed stablecoin and the increasing adoption of blockchain by traditional financial institutions. These developments illustrate the dynamic nature of the crypto space and the growing confidence in digital assets.

For over a year, the U.S. central bank has maintained interest rates at their highest levels in two decades in an effort to curb inflation. Powell suggested at his Jackson Hole speech that the central bank is widely expected to start lowering rates in September. As interest rates decrease, more liquidity is expected to flow into crypto markets, which analysts believe should lead to rising prices. These effects began to be felt early in the week following the reaction to the rate cuts. However, crypto prices quickly pulled back as liquidations driven by leveraged positions put pressure on the market.

Source: IntoTheBlock Ethereum Indicators

The usual summer slowdown — Over the past five years, ETH spot volumes have generally declined by about 16.8% in August compared to the previous three months.

  • Last week, the average transaction fee on Ethereum reached an all-time low of 0.000405 ETH.
  • The decrease in transactions on Ethereum has led to a reduction in the amount of ETH being burned. This figure has dropped by 22%, from 17k ETH in July to 13k ETH in August.
  • Solana’s activity has also tapered off in August, possibly due to the waning interest in the memecoin frenzy.
Source: IntoTheBlock Ethereum Indicators

715k ETH valued at $1.9 billion — Were transferred on Friday, August 23rd, after remaining untouched for two years.

  • The most recent recorded two-year average range transferred occurred on June 11, 2024, when 719k ETH were traded.
  • This movement aligned with the peak volatility period for the ETH token this year, with volatility reaching 69% year-to-date.
Source: IntoTheBlock’s Stablecoin Perspective Dashboard

$169 Billion — The stablecoin market cap has continued to grow steadily despite the sideways market, which can be seen as a sign that investors are gaining confidence in crypto markets.

  • As traditional institutions increasingly embrace blockchain technology, stablecoins have become a crucial bridge between the two realms.
  • Wyoming is now moving forward with plans to launch a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin called the Wyoming Stable Token.
  • PayPal’s stablecoin, PYUSD, recently surpassed a $1 billion market cap, establishing itself as the fifth-largest stablecoin in the market. This one has become increasingly popular on DeFi protocols within the Solana blockchain.

In conclusion, this underscores key trends in the crypto space, including Ethereum transaction fluctuations, and the rise of stablecoins. The U.S. central bank’s rate policies and market volatility have influenced these developments, while traditional finance’s adoption of blockchain is bridging the gap with crypto. Wyoming’s push for a state-backed stablecoin highlights ongoing innovation and adoption. Overall, increasing confidence in the market and the growth of stablecoins point to a promising future for crypto.

--

--

Pedro M. Negron
IntoTheBlock

Currently Junior Research Analyst at IntoTheBlock, directly involved with analysis of the most recent developments in crypto. Particularly Bitcoin and DeFi.