This is a technical analysis post by CoinDesk analyst and Chartered Market Technician Omkar Godbole.
It’s unusual to see ether , the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, showing relative strength against market leader bitcoin on a day when the market is under pressure.
Today is exactly that rare instance. While bitcoin has slipped over 2% on the day to around $97,200, ether remains largely steady near $3,230, per data source CoinDesk. This divergence has lifted the ether-to-bitcoin (ETH/BTC) ratio by more than 2%, signaling ether’s outperformance.
With that in mind, here are three key charts worth keeping an eye on.
ETH/BTC ratio
The Binance-listed ratio is currently confined within a counter-trend downward channel, reflecting a pause following the sharp rally observed between May and August. The slope of this channel is relatively gentle, suggesting the price action is more of a consolidation phase rather than a full-fledged downtrend.
So, a breakout from this channel would confirm a renewed investor bias in favor of ether over bitcoin, suggesting further upside potential for the ETH/BTC ratio. Interestingly, the ratio’s MACD histogram appears poised to cross above zero, signaling a potential bullish shift in momentum.
Ether
Like the ether-bitcoin ratio, ether’s dollar-denominated price is also moving in a counter-trend downward channel, with signs of seller exhaustion near $3,000, as evident from the long tails attached to the recent daily candles.
This suggests a potential for price bounce, although a clean breakout from the channel is needed to confirm a broader bullish outlook.
XRP/BTC
A potential rally in ether, widely regarded as the leading altcoin, could spark rallies in other major tokens, particularly in the ratio between payments-focused XRP and bitcoin.
The ratio continues to coil in a four-year range, building momentum for a significant breakout. Should ether surge, this could act as a catalyst for a bullish resolution in the XRP/BTC ratio, potentially triggering notable gains.