ETH 15-minute rise of 0.73%: Whale concentrated buying and increased staking demand drive volatility

On March 23, 2026, from 07:30 to 07:45 (UTC), ETH experienced a short-term surge of 0.73%, with the price range on the candlestick chart between 2030.96 and 2049.91 USDT, and a volatility of 0.93%. During this period, market attention rapidly increased, trading frequency and volatility both rose significantly, attracting investors’ focus on short-term capital movements and future trends.

The main drivers of this movement were concentrated whale addresses on the blockchain increasing their holdings and institutional funds flowing in large volumes, leading to changes in the position structure. Specifically, during the surge, large addresses net added about 12,000 ETH, on-chain trading volume increased by 18%, reaching approximately 14,200 ETH. Major market funds shifted towards active buying, significantly pushing up the market price. Capital inflows were mainly concentrated on mainstream trading platforms and staking-related protocols, indicating a growing market demand for staking tools.

Additionally, recent deployment of Lido V3 stVaults on the mainnet supported market sentiment, with increased activity from stVaults-related institutions and addresses. Although ETF financialization expectations have not been approved, the market remains hot, and institutional continuous allocation of staked assets further amplified the resonance of this movement. On-chain data shows active addresses increased by 18%, and average Gas fees in the range rose by 12%, reflecting accelerated capital flow and user trading, along with network congestion.

In the short term, ETH faces increased volatility risk, and highly concentrated holdings and funds could amplify retracement movements. Key focus should be on the subsequent actions of whale addresses, the sustainability of on-chain capital inflows, and network congestion trends. If capital inflow slows or institutions withdraw in the short term, prices may experience rapid correction. Investors should continuously monitor on-chain activity, staking protocol fund flows, and key support levels to stay updated on any abnormal movements.