ETH Supply Shrinks to 18-Day Low: Will Pectra Upgrade Boost Prices Beyond $2,000?

Published On: May 8, 2025By

Ethereum’s network is buzzing with renewed activity following Wednesday’s Pectra upgrade, creating a supply squeeze that could propel ETH prices to new heights.

Supply Crunch Emerges Post-Upgrade

The highly anticipated Pectra upgrade has wasted no time making its presence felt across the Ethereum ecosystem. Just one day after implementation, on-chain metrics reveal a significant contraction in ETH’s circulating supply, which has now dropped to an 18-day low of 120.69 million coins, according to Ultrasoundmoney.

ETH Circulating Supply. (Source: Ultrasoundmoney)

ETH Circulating Supply. (Source: Ultrasoundmoney)

This supply reduction coincides with a notable surge in Layer-1 network activity, creating favorable conditions for potential price appreciation.

What Makes Pectra So Impactful?

The Pectra upgrade introduces several key improvements to Ethereum’s infrastructure:

  • Increased validator limits to 2048 ETH
  • Smart wallet enablement
  • Enhanced overall network efficiency

These improvements have quickly translated into measurable network effects, with Glassnode reporting that active Ethereum addresses have reached a 30-day peak of 474,044 as of May 7. This metric represents unique addresses that have engaged with the network as either senders or receivers.

The Ripple Effect on ETH Supply

The spike in network participation has immediate consequences for Ethereum’s tokenomics. As more users flock to the network, transaction volumes increase, driving up gas fees and accelerating the rate at which ETH is burned.

Daily Ether Burnt Chart (Source: Etherscan)

Daily Ether Burnt Chart (Source: Etherscan)

Etherscan data confirms that the ETH burn rate has reached its highest level since the beginning of May. This accelerated burning mechanism directly reduces the circulating supply, potentially creating upward price pressure as demand meets increasingly limited availability.

Price Analysis: Breaking Out of Consolidation

On the daily chart, ETH has broken above a horizontal channel that contained price movement between April 23 and May 7. During this consolidation period, ETH consistently faced resistance at $1,872 while finding support at $1,744.

With this breakout now potentially confirmed, ETH could be setting up for a run toward the psychologically significant $2,000 level. If momentum continues to build, further extension toward $2,235 becomes technically possible.

However, traders should remain cautious of a failed retest of the breakout level, which could send prices back to test support at $1,744. A break below this support would open the door to further decline toward $1,564.

As network activity continues to climb following the successful Pectra implementation, all eyes remain on whether this fundamental catalyst can provide the momentum needed for ETH to reclaim the coveted $2,000 threshold.

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