- Ether climbed 3.5% to break $4,000, its highest price since December, supported by altcoin inflows and regulatory clarity.
- The ETH/BTC ratio is near its yearly high after rising 42% over the last month, signaling strong altcoin rotation.
- XRP, SOL, and DOGE also posted gains, while ETH treasury-linked stocks like BMNR and SBET moved sharply higher.
Ether surged past the $4,000 mark in U.S. trading Friday morning, reaching its highest level since December. The move comes amid a broader altcoin rally fueled by expectations of lower U.S. interest rates, growing activity from crypto treasury companies, and the SEC’s decision to drop its case against Ripple. ETH is now up 25% year-to-date and 112% over the past year, reflecting strong institutional and retail demand.
ETH/BTC Ratio Nears Yearly High
While bitcoin stayed flat near $116,800 over the last 24 hours, ether’s 3.5% gain pushed the ETH/BTC ratio up 3% in the past hour, bringing it close to its highest level of the year. Over the past month, the ratio has climbed 42%, although it remains down 4% year-to-date and 20% from last year’s levels. This shift suggests traders are rotating into altcoins, betting on their outperformance in the near term.
Altcoin and Crypto Stock Momentum
XRP led the top altcoin gains with a 9% jump, followed by Solana (SOL) up 3.5% and Dogecoin (DOGE) up 5.3%. Stocks tied to ether treasury holdings also rallied — Bitmine Immersion (BMNR) surged 13%, and Sharplink Gaming (SBET) climbed 4%. The move highlights growing market enthusiasm for companies with direct exposure to crypto assets.
