Deep Dive
1. Upbit Listing Drives Retail Demand (Bullish Impact)
Overview:
ETHFI was listed on Upbit, South Korea’s largest exchange, on September 19, 2025, alongside RESOLV, INIT, and SPK. The token initially surged 4.3% to $1.69 post-listing and has since stabilized above $1.58. Upbit’s strict volatility controls (e.g., 5-minute buy-order suspensions) likely prevented a sharper correction.
What this means:
Exchange listings often trigger short-term price spikes due to improved accessibility and speculative trading. Upbit’s dominance in South Korea—a region with high retail crypto participation—amplified ETHFI’s liquidity and visibility. The token’s 24h volume ($129.85M) remains elevated, suggesting sustained interest.
What to look out for:
Holders of RESOLV and INIT (listed alongside ETHFI) saw sharp post-listing drops (–45% for BARD on September 18). Monitor ETHFI’s ability to hold above $1.50, a key psychological support.
2. Buybacks Reduce Sell Pressure (Bullish Impact)
Overview:
The Ether.fi Foundation executed a $314,000 buyback on September 6–7, purchasing 264,000 ETHFI tokens using protocol revenue. Of these, 155,000 tokens were burned, and 108,000 were distributed to stakers.
What this means:
Buybacks directly reduce circulating supply (515.6M ETHFI), creating upward price pressure. Combined with staking rewards, they incentivize long-term holding. ETHFI’s 41.5% 30-day rally aligns with this programmatic scarcity mechanism.
What to look out for:
Weekly buybacks are funded by protocol fees (staking/restaking). Monitor ether.fi’s TVL ($11.1B as of August 29) for revenue sustainability.
3. Technical Breakout Above Key Levels (Mixed Impact)
Overview:
ETHFI’s price ($1.58) sits above its 7-day SMA ($1.52) and 30-day SMA ($1.34). The MACD histogram (–0.00096) shows weakening bearish momentum, while the RSI (59.6) suggests neutral conditions.
What this means:
Breaking above the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement ($1.52) and pivot point ($1.56) signals bullish sentiment. However, resistance at the 38.2% Fib level ($1.68) could cap gains.
What to look out for:
A sustained close above $1.60 could target $1.68 (September 19 high). Conversely, a drop below $1.52 may trigger profit-taking.
Conclusion
ETHFI’s rally reflects retail FOMO from the Upbit listing, buyback-driven supply reduction, and technical momentum. However, the token remains 81.5% below its March 2024 all-time high ($8.57), highlighting both recovery potential and residual risks.
Key watch: Can ETHFI hold above $1.50 if Bitcoin dominance (57.7%) continues rising?