Ethereum Price Prediction September 2023 – Buy or Sell?

It’s hardly surprising that many people are interested in an Ethereum Price Prediction for 2023. Ethereum is the second-largest cryptocurrency in the world by market capitalization after Bitcoin. Additionally, its open-source blockchain is renowned for its smart contract capabilities, scalability, and building decentralized applications (dApps).

Since the Ethereum Merge – the network’s switch from the proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism to proof-of-stake (PoS) – experts have predicted that Ether price would record massive gains in 2022.

This guide analyzes Ethereum price 2023 to answer the question, “Will Ethereum go up” and help investors decide if it’s still a good buy.

Ethereum (ETH) At A Glance

Before delving fully into our ETH price prediction or analyzing the potential future price, it’s essential to understand the coin’s history and why experts believe it could be massively rewarding for investors.

What is Ethereum? 

When many people hear the word Ethereum today, they automatically think of the ETH coin, which is an alternative to Bitcoin. While ETH (Ether) is the native cryptocurrency and a remarkable crypto asset, Ethereum goes beyond only its token.

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain network that is secure, scalable, and more efficient than the Bitcoin network. Vitalik Buterin created Ethereum in 2014 as an alternative to Bitcoin, which was the earliest form of digital currency.

In 2015, Vitalik Buterin and Joe Lubin later launched Ethereum as an open-source, secure, and scalable platform. Today, Ethereum is a peer-to-peer network that facilitates the execution of codes, called smart contracts. With its smart contracts, Ethereum users can invest in the digital currency via staking. Staking allows users to lock up their Ethereum coins and earn periodic rewards.

However, Ethereum staking is a relatively new concept. Before September 2022, Ethereum operated using the proof-of-work consensus mechanism. With PoW, the network had miners assigned transactions (blocks). These miners completed every transaction and got rewarded with free ETH tokens for every verified transaction. We’ll go into more details about that later.

Like other cryptocurrencies, crypto investors and traders can buy and sell Ethereum (ETH) or use it for other activities on the network. For example, the Ethereum network charges transaction fees (known as gas) for every transaction done on the network. Users can only pay these fees using ETH tokens.

Besides smart contracts, the Ethereum network allows developers to build decentralized applications (dApps). DApps are built as alternatives to traditional Web2 applications. They function using Web3 models to give users more control through decentralization. Thousands of dApps are on the Ethereum blockchain, and the applications leverage Ethereum to carry out different activities.

The Ethereum Merge

As stated earlier, before Ethereum’s switch to proof-of-stake, the blockchain network was run by miners- who completed transactions on the blockchain and got mining rewards in the form of new ETH tokens. Ethereum 2.0 is the latest version of Ethereum after the Merge (Ethereum’s network upgrade). Before we go into the details of the new Ethereum model, let’s look at what it used to be as Ethereum 1.0.

Ethereum 1.0

Since Ethereum started out as an alternative to Bitcoin, it was initially built using a similar mining model – proof-of-work. Like Bitcoin, the old Ethereum model was known for its mining capabilities. Ethereum allows thousands of users worldwide to access its network via nodes (also known as connection points). On the old Ethereum network, Ethereum miners connected to the network via nodes and were tasked with the responsibility of completing all transactions on the network.

Ethereum mining is the process of creating new ETH tokens by verifying transaction blocks. Usually, these miners would solve mathematical problems, and those with the correct answers would get the transactions assigned. Miners were rewarded with free ETH tokens for their role in helping the blockchain maintain functionality. And these tokens were added to Ethereum’s circulating supply at the time.

However, Ethereum 1.0 had many criticisms. The original PoW consensus mechanism was energy-consuming – which invited criticism from environmental health professionals. At the same time, the old Ethereum network wasn’t very efficient. It could only execute 10 – 20 transactions per second, and the developers knew this would be a challenge as the Ethereum network grew.

Ethereum 2.0: The birth of a new Ethereum

To make its network more scalable, efficient, and less energy-consuming, the Ethereum team transitioned the blockchain from the previous PoW to PoS on September 15, 2022. The hardfork was called the Merge or Ethereum 2.0.

Since the Ethereum Merge, miners have been eliminated from the Ethereum network. That means Ethereum transactions can now only happen via smart contracts instead of completing transactions using mining. Ethereum smart contracts are automated transactions that don’t need intermediaries like miners to be completed. When a transaction triggers a smart contract, all Ethereum nodes execute every instruction using the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

With this new model, energy usage will be cut by more than 90%, and the developers believe Ethereum will be able to process 100,000 transactions per second by the end of its development phase.

ETH Tokenomics

It’s difficult to make an Ethereum price prediction without first understanding ETH tokenomics.

With Ethereum 2.0, miners have been eliminated from the Ethereum blockchain, and we now have network validators. Since Ethereum currently operates using PoS, validators must stake a certain number of ETH tokens by locking them up in the network’s liquidity pool. Ethereum validators must stake 32 ETH tokens or have a higher amount of crypto locked to secure the blockchain and keep transactions running.

Eventually, validators receive rewards proportional to how many ETH tokens they staked and the staking period. However, unlike Ethereum 1.0, which had new ETH tokens minted and added to the circulating supply, the new token addition rate in Ethereum 2.0 varies between 0.5% and 1.0%, and malicious assets staked will be burned.

Apart from staking rewards, validators (stakers) also receive priority fees from traders. The amount depends on the state of the network and usage at the transaction time, but it further increases the stakers’ earnings or the reward on staking investment.

In other words, Ethereum holders can earn free ETH rewards of up to 8-10% or even higher, depending on the following:

• The quantity of ETH they stake
• The tipping rewards they get

On the other hand, other users, including traders, still pay transaction fees known as the base fee and priority fee. The base fee is burned to reduce Ethereum’s total supply, while the priority fee or tip is the extra amount liquidity providers get for securing the network.

Ethereum transaction fees

According to Ethereum, the fees will significantly reduce after an update called Sharding. Once this is implemented, the throughput of the Ethereum network will increase, allowing transactions as high as 100,000 per second.

On the supply side, the Merge will further reduce the inflation of Ethereum and make it deflationary sustainable. On the demand side, transaction fees are expected to significantly reduce as the network evolves. At the same time, there will be an increase in the development of layer-two scaling solutions and sharding will happen in the second half of 2023. These events are expected to increase the possible number of transactions, and with more efficiency, the Ethereum ecosystem will attract more users.

Ultimately, Ethereum’s transition from PoW to PoS will further improve the blockchain’s tokenomics by limiting supply growth and adjusting the rewards and incentives of investors who hodl Ethereum long-term. Liquidity providers and stakers will start considering ETH as a yield-generating asset that will attract more individual and institutional investors. Similarly, lower gas fees will result in more use cases and higher transactions. With the ETH merge, it will be interesting to see how Ethereum price prediction turns out in the years to come.

The Team Behind Ethereum

If we want to make an Ethereum price prediction, we need to also understand the team behind Ethereum. As stated earlier, Vitalik Buterin conceived what would become Ethereum in 2014. However, the Russian-Canadian programmer and writer didn’t develop the blockchain alone. He worked with seven other co-founders, who had different roles to play in the development of Ethereum.

Apart from Buterin, other Ethereum co-founders are Mihai Alisie, who worked on Bitcoin Magazine with Vitalik Buterin. Anthony Di Lorio and Amir Chetrit also joined Buterin after initially gaining interest in Bitcoin. Charles Hoskinson, Gavin Wood, Jeffrey Wilcke, and Joseph Lubin make up the Ethereum team.

Though the team started with eight people described as people with great ideas and grand ambition by Mihai Alisi, only Buterin actively works on Ethereum today. Charles Hoskinson and Gavin Wood have started other blockchains.

Gavin Wood is now focused on Polkadot, while Charles Hoskinson left Ethereum to build Cardano through IOHK. Both blockchains are now rivals of Ethereum. Anthony Di Iorio, Amir Chetrit and Jeffrey Wilcke are currently focused on other businesses outside the crypto industry. Joseph Lubin runs ConsenSys to help developers build dApps, and Mihai Alisie runs the Akasha Project, a blockchain-based decentralized social media project.

Ethereum Use Cases 

When thinking of Ethereum future price or making ETH price prediction, it is essential to note that utility drives Ethereum’s value. Currently, Ethereum has numerous use cases, and experts believe its value will increase as it provides more utility and gets wider adoption. We highlight the major use cases of Ethereum below to answer the question, “Will Ethereum price go up?”

Ethereum Price History 

Before we can make a precise Ethereum price prediction, it is important to understand Ethereum price history.

After Buterin and his team launched Ethereum in 2015, the coin was valued at $2.77. However, it lost value and fell to just $0.81 within 24 hours. The price would remain this way until January 2016, when it broke the $1 mark. By February of the same year, Ethereum hit $2, and the coin kept maintaining a steady pace till it went a little above $12 in July 2016. However, Ethereum would lose value again and close the year 2016 at around $8.

2017 was a big year for Ethereum. The coin experienced massive growth this year and rose up to about $360 from about $40. It experienced some highs and lows within the year, then reached a new all-time high of $826 in early December, and ended the year at about $771.

In 2018, Ethereum continued to grow. It went 600x compared to where it was in January 2016. And in the January of the same year, ETH reached another all-time high of $1,396. Again, the coin took a downturn, and ETH closed the year at around $141.

Between 2019 and 2020, Ethereum didn’t experience any volatile spikes. Instead, the coin’s price swung between $150 and $730. Then 2021 came with NFTs making waves and Ethereum reaping the rewards of its support for minting, buying, and selling NFTs. The increased demand for ETH at this time shot its price up from about $4,000 in May 2021. In November of the same year, Ethereum had an all-time high of $4,800.

Howeer, in 2022, the coin hasn’t been so impressive- thanks to the market-wide bear market. The bearish movements have impacted the price of major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.

How Has Ethereum Performed So Far in 2023?

Ethereum’s value has decreased so far in 2022. At the time of writing, ETH is valued at $1,106.50. However, the drop in value has been largely due to the 2022 crypto winter and other industry challenges like the Terra (LUNA) and FTX collapse. `

How did the Merge affect the price of ETH?

One of the strongest factors to consider in Ethereum price prediction is the recent ETH merge.  Before the completion of the Ethereum Merge on September 15, 2022, there were many speculations about how ETH value would increase after the Merge.  However, the Merge has been unable to stop Ethereum from tanking so far this year. Before the Merge, ETH price was around $1,600, but we saw this drop a few minutes after the Merge.

However, experts believe the Merge would have long-term effects on the value of Ethereum. For example, Lex Sokolin, the Head Economist at ConsenSys, the technical developments and economic changes that the Merge promises in the new Ethereum design will affect its value. Individuals, developers, and businesses will be significantly attracted to Ethereum, which will drive up its value.

Why has Ethereum dropped?

First, the immediate price drop post-Merge wasn’t a result of the Merge’s impact but the timing. Days before the Merge, the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped, leading to broader crypto selloffs in the market. Never mind that the general crypto winter was also ravaging, and even Bitcoin had lost more than triple its value since the last bull run that saw it reach its all-time high of close to $69,000.

At the same time, the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes, inflation, and other macroeconomic conditions have affected the entire crypto market. And recent events in the crypto space, including the FTX collapse, have impacted market sentiments and resulted in crypto prices struggling to break free.

What Is The Current Price of Ethereum?

Ethereum is currently priced at $1,106.50. The coin has recorded a massive selloff over the last 24 hours because of the FTX hacker, who initially stole assets worth $600,000 from the exchange after it declared bankruptcy. According to reports, the hacker initially converted the stolen funds to ETH, but they swapped some for BTC in the last 24 hours, which seems to have caused a selloff.

Ethereum Price Prediction 2023

Despite Ethereum’s value plummeting in 2023, most experts predict that the price will still experience an upturn in the nearest future. Despite the price dump, the crypto community appears to remain bullish on Ethereum’s future. Going by CoinMarketCap’s price estimate, ETH could end 2023 at around $1,500. However, there are other factors to consider to predict Ethereum future price.

Ethereum Fundamental Analysis

Ethereum is currently trading at $1,106.50 per token, down 1.7% in the last 24 hours, with a total market cap of $135,097,497,634.

The recent price action shows that there’s intense sell pressure on Ethereum, and this could impact its price to drop further in the coming days, especially after the news of the FTX hacker converting some of the stolen funds from ETH to BTC.

Ethereum Technical Analysis

According to Ethereum market analytics data from TradingView, the Ethereum technical analysis (TA) indicators show that the coin is heavily in the sell zone. At the moment, its summary is pointing to a “sell” sentiment at 15.

The Moving Averages (MA) also suggest a “Strong Sell” at 14. However, the oscillators remain positive, with a “Buy” sentiment at 2.

Upcoming Events That Could Affect The Price of ETH

There are no significant upcoming events that could dramatically influence Ethereum price prediction. However, according to the Ethereum roadmap, we’ll see some updates to the network in 2023.

The Ethereum Shanghai upgrade is the next post-merge major upgrade on the network. The update is scheduled for the second half of 2023. It will reportedly allow holders who have staked their Ether tokens for years to systematically withdraw them and make the network more scalable. It could also reduce network fees for some significant network participants called builders.

Similarly, Ethereum Sharding is scheduled to be live in 2023, as part of the second phase of Ethereum 2.0. After Sharding is successfully implemented, we may see Ethereum’s throughput increasing to process between 50,000 to 100,000 transactions per second.

All the upcoming upgrades on the network suggest that Ethereum will be more scalable and efficient. Ultimately, it will attract more investors, and ETH value will increase as the network grows.

Will Ethereum Go Up in ?

According to Ethereum price predictions, the cryptocurrency may still rise in 2022. Some believe the coin may experience an end-of-year bull run like it did in 2021. However, no significant indicators show that Ethereum’s price will rapidly increase this year. The coin is still struggling, and the current market sentiment indicates that there may be more selloffs before the end of the year.

What Could Affect The Price of Ethereum Over The Next Year?

Apart from upcoming network upgrades, the growth in the DeFi industry will immensely affect Ethereum future price. With more DeFi projects coming to the Ethereum network, there will be an improved utility for Ethereum, and the network will ultimately grow.

New DeFi projects are coming up and already having successful presales. Many of them will officially launch in the coming months, and we may see their growth directly impacting Ethereum price 2022 or beyond.

Why Might Some Investors Consider Investing in Ethereum Right Now?

Despite the 2022 challenges, Ethereum price predictions suggest the crypto is still a good investment. The coin remains the second largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin. The blockchain also houses thousands of DeFi apps. The Merge has also set the Ethereum blockchain on a pathway to improved scalability and efficiency. With the expected upgrades and growth, Ethereum will be a massive player in the entire crypto ecosystem.

Investors can go bullish on Ethereum right now for future gains. However, the Merge and other related events are all about long-term value. Experts also believe there’s plenty of growth ahead in the Ethereum ecosystem. At the same time, the coin is at a low price of just above $1k. In other words, investors can consider backing Ethereum right now for its long-term value and take advantage of its low price.

Why Might Some Investors Avoid Ethereum Right Now?

As stated earlier, investing in Ethereum right now may not result in massive gains. The coin and other popular cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, may not experience a massive bull run until 2023. So, if you’re looking to invest in Ethereum short-term, it may not be a good time.

Expert Ethereum price predictions and technical analysis are not so bullish, so only long-term investors should consider backing Ethereum right now.

How To Invest in Ethereum (ETH)

Crypto enthusiasts can take advantage of Ethereum’s current low price and invest in the coin for its long-term value. To invest in ETH right now, it may be best for investors to purchase the coin and hodl it for long-term gains. The best place to buy Ethereum is on eToro. The cryptocurrency exchange is reputable, fast, and secure, with low trading fees. Follow the step-by-step guide below to buy ETH on eToro and to get an Ethereum wallet.

Create an eToro account

To buy Ethereum on eToro, the first step is to sign up and create an account. Navigate the eToro website homepage and click on “Start Investing” to create an account. Enter the required information in the dialogue box on the next screen. These include a unique username, a valid email address, and a password. Check the consent boxes below and click on “Create Account” to complete the process.

Verify ID

eToro requires all users to verify their accounts as part of its know-your-customer (KYC) process. After signing up, log into the account to start the verification process. You must enter personal information about your identity, trading history, and the purpose of trading during the verification. You must also provide proof of identity, proof of residence and verify your phone number.

After submitting all the required documents and information, eToro will process them and provide feedback. This usually takes a few days.

Deposit funds

Once your eToro account has been verified, the next thing to do is deposit funds into your eToro wallet. The exchange provides a wide range of payment options, including debit/credit cards, bank wire transfers, and e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, etc.

The minimum deposit for first-time customers on eToro is $10 in the United Kingdom. However, if you’re looking to invest more in Ethereum, you can increase your first deposit.

Search for ETH

After funding your account, the next step is to buy ETH. To do this, search for ETH or Ethereum via the search bar on the home screen and click on “Trade”.

Place an order

Enter the amount of ETH you want to purchase, verify the order details, and complete the order. The total ETH purchased will reflect in your eToro wallet within a few minutes.

Transfer crypto to a cold wallet

After buying Ethereum on eToro, the next thing to do is store the asset. While eToro provides asset custodial services through its wallet, we recommend that you transfer your crypto to a cold wallet for more security. You can invest in a hardware wallet that gives you unlimited access to your funds and is less vulnerable to hacks.

Ethereum Price Prediction 2023 – Conclusion

There have been different analyses and predictions about Ethereum’s future price. Many experts believe the coin has the potential to become more valuable over the coming weeks, while others say it will be massive in the coming years. Though the growth is inarguable, the Ethereum price prediction 2023 is speculative and doesn’t represent investment advice.

However, with the Ethereum Merge completed and other upgrades yet to come, it’ll be exciting to see what lies ahead in the future of Ethereum.

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