Ethereum ETFs Drive $9.33 Billion Inflows as $4,000 Showdown Looms

- Spot ETF inflows reach $9.33 billion, institutions lead demand - Network usage spikes 73%, fueling ETH price breakout Ethereum (ETH) is approaching the pivotal $4,000 resistance level, a milestone it has not reached since early 2024. Record-high institutional interest and network activity are fueling this surge. Key drivers include new spot Ethereum Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) in the U.S., greater corporate adoption of ETH as a treasury asset, and robust activity within its blockchain ecosystem. On July 28, 2025, Cointelegraph reported that cumulative net inflows into U.S. Ethereum ETFs surpassed $9.33 billion since their launch in July 2024. The funds also set a single-day record inflow of $727 million on July 16, 2025. BlackRock's ETHA ETF leads the pack, holding over $10.69 billion worth of ETH and highlighting strong institutional demand. Ethereum’s growing traction in decentralized finance (DeFi) further bolsters this momentum. The total value locked (TVL) in Ethereum-powered DeFi applications has reached $86 billion, its highest level since 2022. Simultaneously, daily average transactions have surged by 73% over the past three months. The volume of ETH on centralized exchanges has also dropped to its lowest point since before the 2017 rally, suggesting a supply constraint that could push prices higher. Technically, Ethereum's breakout from a bull flag pattern points to a $5,000 price target, and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) confirms this bullish sentiment by showing room for continued growth before conditions become overbought. According to CoinMarketCap, Ethereum was trading at $3,797.03 as of July 28 at 19:09 UTC, while its 24-hour trading volume dipped by 1.254%.