Ethereum To $6,800 By Year End? CME Futures Data Shows Record Institutional Demand

Ash Tiwari

Last Updated: September 12, 2025 4:00 am

3 mins read

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As Ethereum (ETH) trades in the mid $4,000 range, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) futures open interest (OI) for the digital asset continues to hit new highs. Against that backdrop, analysts are now predicting a new all-time high (ATH) for ETH later this year.

Ethereum New ATH By End Of 2025?

According to a CryptoQuant Quicktake post by contributor PelinayPA, Ethereum’s CME futures OI is steadily moving towards new highs. The analyst brought attention to past data about Ethereum futures OI to predict its next move.

Back in 2021-2022, Ethereum futures OI remained relatively low, largely dominated by 1-2 month contracts. At the time, although ETH gained bullish momentum, institutional exposure to the cryptocurrency on CME was still limited.

In sharp contrast, during the 2022 bear market, a drop in the ETH price led to a steep decline in its OI. While the period was still dominated by short-term contracts, long-term contracts stayed low, indicating weak institutional confidence in ETH.

However, a trend change was observed during the 2023-2024 recovery as Ethereum OI started to rise again – specifically among 3-6 month contracts. Simultaneously, institutional demand grew alongside ETH’s price.

Fast-forward to 2025, Ethereum OI has surged to new highs. As ETH rallied to the $4,500 to $5,000 range, there was a noticeable growth in short-term contracts. This dynamic indicates strong institutional participation and demand for derivatives.

The CryptoQuant analyst explained the implications of two potential combinations of OI and contract concentration. First, high OI with concentrated short-term contracts can lead to increased volatility, potentially leading to sharp swings and liquidation cascades.

On the contrary, rising long-term OI in 3-6 month contracts indicates growing institutional confidence and potential for higher ETH prices in the long-term. That said, crowded leveraged positions could trigger rapid corrections in the short term. PelinayPA added:

ETH is trading around $5K (near ATH) with record OI on CME clear evidence of institutional FOMO. While this supports the ongoing bull trend, liquidation risk is high. Short term volatility and corrections are likely, but the medium to long term outlook remains bullish.

Concluding, the analyst predicted that ETH could reach the $6,800 resistance level by the end of 2025. However, any deterioration in the global macroeconomic outlook could stall ETH’s momentum temporarily.

Case For A New ETH ATH

Besides the aforementioned prediction on the back of rising institutional interest in ETH, positive exchange data is also likely to benefit the cryptocurrency. For example, recent ETH outflows from Binance drove the supply ratio to a new low.

In addition, an increasing amount of ETH continues to be staked on the Ethereum network, strengthening the smart contract platform’s fundamentals and making it more robust. At press time, ETH trades at $4,409, down 0.7% in the past 24 hours.

Featured image from Unsplash, charts from CryptoQuant and TradingView.com

Ash Tiwari

Ash is a dedicated crypto researcher and blockchain enthusiast with a passion for diving deep into the evolving world of decentralized technologies. With a background in writing and a natural curiosity for how digital assets are shaping the future, he has immersed himself in various sectors of the cryptocurrency space, including decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and liquidity mining. His journey into crypto started with a desire to fully understand the technology behind it, leading him to explore and engage with these systems firsthand.

Ash’s approach to DeFi goes beyond surface-level research as he actively participates in decentralized protocols, testing their functionality to gain a deeper understanding of how they operate. From experimenting with staking mechanisms to exploring liquidity mining strategies, he is hands-on in his exploration, which allows him to provide practical, real-world insights that go far beyond theoretical knowledge. This immersive experience has helped him develop a comprehensive grasp of smart contracts, token governance, and the broader implications of decentralized platforms on the future of finance.

In the NFT space, Ash’s interest is driven by the technology’s potential to reshape ownership and creativity in the digital age. He has explored various NFT projects, gaining insights into how these digital assets function within different ecosystems. His focus is on understanding the evolving relationship between creators and communities, as well as the innovative uses of blockchain technology to establish authenticity and provenance in the digital world. Ash’s research in this area often touches on the intersection of culture, technology, and community-driven projects.

A key area of his expertise lies in liquidity mining, where he has engaged with various decentralized platforms to understand how liquidity provision contributes to the functionality and security of DeFi ecosystems. Ash’s hands-on involvement has allowed him to analyze the risks, rewards, and broader implications of liquidity pools, giving him a well-rounded perspective on this integral part of DeFi. His understanding of risk management and protocol design allows him to provide insights into how these systems can be navigated effectively, with an emphasis on both opportunity and caution.

When it comes to communicating these complex topics, Ash’s writing is grounded in clarity and depth. He excels at breaking down intricate blockchain concepts into easily digestible information for a wide audience. Whether explaining the workings of decentralized exchanges or outlining the future potential of blockchain technology, Ash ensures that his content is accessible to both those new to the space and experienced participants looking for deeper insights.

Beyond DeFi and NFTs, Ash explores a wide array of emerging blockchain applications. His research spans areas like cross-chain technologies, decentralized governance, and blockchain’s potential to integrate with traditional finance. He is continuously learning and adapting to the latest developments, ensuring that his insights are both timely and relevant. His interest extends to how these technologies are creating new possibilities for decentralization, transparency, and trust in a variety of industries.

Ash’s commitment to engaging with the crypto space firsthand gives him a unique perspective that goes beyond what can be learned from research alone. His practical involvement allows him to stay ahead of the curve, offering readers and enthusiasts a clear and comprehensive understanding of the rapidly evolving world of blockchain. Whether delving into the technical mechanics of DeFi or exploring the cultural impact of NFTs, Ash’s approach is always rooted in curiosity, research, and a desire to make this technology accessible to all.

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