Ethereum (ETH) has struggled through the first quarter of the year and the opening stretch of the second, but it has managed to hold a crucial line near the $2,000 mark.
A new report from market expert Sam Daodu breaks down three potential paths for ETH for the remainder of 2026, with each scenario tied to catalysts that could push the network’s leading altcoin back above $4,000.
Bullish Pathway For EthereumIn his bullish scenario, Glamsterdam is assumed to launch on schedule in June. The upgrade would cut gas fees by 78.6% and lift throughput to as much as 10,000 transactions per second.
ETH Could Retest The February 2026 LowIn the base case, the story is more subdued. Daodu expects Glamsterdam to ship, but with no strong immediate market reaction. ETF inflows remain positive but slow, and Bitcoin is assumed to rise above $85,000 without delivering a decisive breakout that would strongly re-ignite risk appetite.
Under this scenario, Ethereum is still projected to clear $3,000 in the third quarter, then test $4,000 in the last stretch of 2026. The year-end outcome, however, is more restrained: ETH would close between $3,000 and $4,200.
He also adds a more risk-off environment by projecting that Bitcoin could fall below $70,000, driven by inflation data or renewed hawkishness from the Federal Reserve (Fed), along with ETF outflows returning.
In this bearish scenario, the idea of Ethereum moving past $4,000 would likely shift into a 2027 discussion rather than remaining a 2026 target. For now, the leading altcoin trades at $2,134.
Featured image created with OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
