On the day the much-anticipated Ethereum (ETH) Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) launched in the United States, the market reaction was unexpectedly muted. Analysts at Singapore-based crypto trading firm QCP Capital shed airy on the reasons for the muted reaction, blaming previous market behavior and other information from the broader market.

Why Ethereum Price Isn’t Rising Rapidly

In its note to investors, QCP Capital indicates that the market could follow a “buy the hype, sell the news” pattern, similar to the scenario of the launch of the US spot Bitcoin ETF. When the spot Bitcoin ETF debuted on January 11 this year, Bitcoin prices surged ahead of the launch but later fell to $38,000, recording a -21% decline in the first 12 days after the launch.

This price action was primarily driven by outflows from the Grayscale Bitcoin ETF, which morphed from the GBTC Trust and opened up the opportunity for investors to withdraw their holdings for the first time in years. A similar scenario could play out for ETH, although there is a key difference with Grayscale launching a “Mini ETF.”

Recall that Bitcoin has reached fresh all-time highs in two months. So, QCP suggests that investors are cautious and waiting for further events before making any major moves in the ETH market.

In addition, overall market sentiment, which is heavily influenced by Bitcoin’s movements, can also play a key role. In particular, the US government’s and Mt. Gox’s Bitcoin transfers have created a domino effect that affects the dynamics of the cryptocurrency market as a whole.

This morning, the US government transferred 58,742 BTC to Coinbase, leaving it with 213,239 BTC worth about $14.2 billion. At the same time, Mt. Gox moved about 47,600 BTC to various wallets, including 5,110 BTC ($340.1 million) to Bitstamp. These large-scale moves could contribute to the market’s cautious stance.

While spot prices for Ethereum remain flat, the options market is seeing significant activity. QCP noted that volatility on July 26 reached an impressive 8-vol augment, while the risk reversal (RR) fell by 3 vol. This signals increased caution towards potential downside moves. The divergence between spot and options markets indicates that traders may be preparing for further price declines in the near term.

“The options market seems set to see further declines in the near future, which is further exacerbated by the news surrounding the US government and Mt Gox,” QCP commented.

Given the current conditions, QCP Capital suggests that Ethereum prices may remain subdued in the brief term. The firm highlights potential BTC sell-off pressure from the US government and Mt Gox as key factors that could indirectly hold back ETH price growth.

Moreover, since the impact of the ETH Spot ETF has not yet been reflected in the market, traders may be waiting for momentum to build, possibly in the run-up to the US election. The QCP investor note concludes: “With the ETH Spot ETF potentially not impacting prices early on, coupled with potential selling pressure from the US government and Mt Gox, prices could remain subdued until momentum builds leading up to the election.”

At the time of going to press, ETH was trading at $3,513, up 0.5% over the last 24 hours.

Featured image created with DALL E, chart from TradingView.com