Ethereum's rebound attempt on Saturday ran out of momentum, leaving ETH trading near $2,245 as sellers defended the $2,264–$2,281 resistance band. Price data on CoinMarketCap continues to show the asset below its short-term moving averages, meaning the bounce has not yet confirmed a shift in trend. The immediate test for buyers is whether they can hold the $2,250 area. Meanwhile, a large whale reportedly kept adding to its position on the dips.

Why Ethereum Faces Resistance Below $2,281

Immediate ceilings sit at roughly $2,263.73 and $2,281.12. Clearing that shelf would give the recovery more room to develop. Until then, ETH remains below its short-term simple and exponential moving averages, consistent with the soft trading conditions of recent sessions. Those averages are standard trend gauges, and price pinned beneath them is generally read as a sign that short-term momentum has not yet turned.

Saturday's prints clustered between $2,240 and $2,245. Pressure on technology stocks and concerns over employment data weighed on risk appetite — a backdrop that matters here because crypto has increasingly traded alongside broader risk assets, letting macro uncertainty spill into digital-asset sentiment. Buyers managed to stop a deeper slide during the session but failed to reclaim the resistance overhead.

Ethereum Holds Near $2,250 as Bitcoin Prints a Fresh Low

ETH's ability to linger near $2,250 drew analyst attention after Bitcoin posted a fresh low, raising questions about relative strength even while the broader market stayed weak.

Crypto analyst Ted noted that Ethereum was still defending the $2,250 support region while Bitcoin printed a new low, calling that a constructive sign. He added that ETH still needs to clear overhead resistance before a broader recovery can stick.

Analyst Aiden flagged $2,205 to $2,172 as a key buyer defense zone. In his read, a move above $2,300 would be the first hint of better momentum, and he is also watching $2,409 as a higher level.

Whale Accumulates Roughly $30 Million in ETH on the Dip

Large spot purchases also surfaced during the soft patch. On-chain monitoring of large wallets has become a standard lens for reading spot demand from deep-pocketed holders, and according to trackers, a major holder kept accumulating ETH throughout the period. One whale bought approximately 13,077 ETH, worth roughly $29.95 million, over the past week, with the latest clip totaling 3,300 ETH valued at $7.41 million. Hupzy shared that on-chain print on X about two hours before the updates.

The pattern appears to consist of stacked buys rather than a single block order, pointing to steady dip demand. That flow alone, however, does not break the $2,281 ceiling that still caps the market.

Which Levels Will Decide ETH's Next Move

Chart desks remain split on the next leg. Some still expect a temporary bounce before another decline. One technical desk called the post-midterm-election breakout a failure and mapped a possible bounce toward $2,295 to $2,393. The same desk flagged $2,206 as a downside line, warning that a break there could open the path to $2,069 and then $1,832. A reclaim above $2,446 would be firmer evidence that ETH has carved a market low.

For now, Ethereum is stuck between nearby resistance and lower support after Saturday's rebound faded. With ETH around $2,245, the $2,263.73–$2,281.12 band remains the key test, and it will determine whether the next recovery attempt gains traction.