Ethereum signals three key developments in early 2026: decreasing gas fees, contract revival, and breaking through the downtrend channel

【Crypto World】Entering early 2026, the Ethereum network has experienced several interesting changes. First, the gas fees have significantly decreased, and the lower transaction costs mean that the entry barrier for large investors has also dropped. This has attracted the attention of many institutional investors—cheaper transaction costs make each operation more cost-effective for them.

More importantly, signals from the futures market are noteworthy. The open interest in contracts continues to rise, indicating that traders are starting to reallocate leveraged positions. It’s important to note that although ETH has fallen nearly 40% from its peak, the current contract volume has already surpassed the levels before the October plunge. This kind of recovery trend is hard to ignore.

There are also highlights in the chart. Ethereum recently broke through a long-term downtrend line and is currently consolidating around $3000. Some chart analysts believe that if the upward momentum continues, the target price could be around $4400. Of course, this is just a technical forecast, and the actual trend will depend on further market performance.