Latest Ethereum Classic (ETC) News Update

TLDR
Ethereum Classic rides a mix of protocol upgrades and bullish predictions while facing historical security ghosts.

1. Olympia Upgrade Drafted (1 July 2025) – On-chain DAO governance and fee burns proposed for 2026.
2. Bitstamp Listing (11 July 2025) – Global traders gain USD/EUR pairs, boosting accessibility.
3. $55 Price Target (13 August 2025) – Analysts cite deflationary mechanics and DAO-driven development.

Deep Dive

1. Olympia Upgrade Drafted (1 July 2025)

Overview:
Ethereum Classic’s core developers released draft ECIPs for the Olympia Upgrade, introducing EIP-1559-style fee burns (redirecting 80% of base fees to a decentralized treasury) and on-chain DAO governance. The upgrade aims to create a self-sustaining ecosystem funded by transaction fees, with testnet deployment starting in late 2025 and mainnet activation slated for late 2026.

What this means:
This is bullish for ETC as it formalizes decentralized funding – a long-standing challenge for PoW chains. By burning fees and empowering token holders via DAO proposals, ETC could reduce sell pressure from miner rewards and align incentives for long-term growth. However, delayed mainnet timelines (2026) risk momentum loss if competitors advance faster.
(EthClassicDAO)

2. Bitstamp Listing (11 July 2025)

Overview:
Bitstamp by Robinhood added ETC trading for non-U.S. users, highlighting its EVM compatibility and “fifthening” emission schedule (20% supply reduction every 5M blocks). The exchange emphasized ETC’s immutability ethos and PoW security model.

What this means:
The listing expands ETC’s reach to Robinhood’s 23M+ users, potentially improving liquidity. However, U.S. exclusion limits immediate impact, and ETC still trails ETH in institutional adoption metrics like ETF filings.
(Cryptotimes)

3. $55 Price Target (13 August 2025)

Overview:
CoinPedia forecasted ETC could reach $55 in 2025, citing the Olympia Upgrade’s deflationary mechanics and reduced circulating supply. The prediction follows ETC’s 14% weekly gain to $24.13, with open interest hitting $273M.

What this means:
While optimistic, the target depends on successful upgrade implementation and sustained miner participation post-fee burns. Technical risks remain – ETC’s 24h turnover of 0.186 suggests thinner liquidity than major alts, potentially amplifying volatility.
(CoinMarketCap)

Conclusion

Ethereum Classic is betting big on DAO-driven sustainability and exchange expansion, but its PoW model faces lingering skepticism after past 51% attacks. Will Olympia’s treasury mechanics attract enough developers to offset Ethereum’s staking dominance?

TLDR
Ethereum Classic’s community is split between protocol optimism and technical caution. Here’s what’s trending:
1. Olympia Upgrade hype – DAO governance and fee reforms fuel bullish bets
2. $28 price target – Traders eye breakout after 37% weekly rally
3. MetaMask integration – Simplified network access sparks dev interest
4. Bearish setups emerge – Descending triangle warns of 8% drop

Deep Dive

1. @EthClassicDAO: Protocol-Level DAO Governance bullish

"First-ever on-chain treasury + DAO native to a Proof-of-Work Ethereum network... solving gatekeeping & favoritism"
– @EthClassicDAO (12.4K followers · 86K impressions · 2025-07-01 22:51 UTC)
View original post
What this means: The Olympia Upgrade (mainnet target: late 2026) introduces EIP-1559 fee burns to a decentralized treasury, potentially reducing $ETC supply while enabling community-driven funding – a structural bullish catalyst if adoption follows.

2. @johnmorganFL: $28 Breakout Potential bullish

"Ethereum Classic Price Eyes $28 After 37% Weekly Rally"
– @johnmorganFL (18.7K followers · 224K impressions · 2025-07-19 07:31 UTC)
View original post
What this means: The rally coincides with ETC futures open interest hitting $273M (highest since Nov 2024) and spot volumes up 380%, though RSI 77 suggests overextension risks.

3. CoinMarketCap Post: Bearish Triangle Pattern bearish

"Descending triangle breakdown likely... target $19.62"
– Anonymous trader (post engagement: 1.2K views · 2025-08-01 11:30 UTC)
What this means: Technical analysts flag weakening momentum below $20.25 resistance, with liquidation risks concentrated at $19.62 support – 18% below current prices.

4. @cryptoleer: MetaMask Ecosystem Boost neutral

"Add @ETC_Network in 2 minutes – trade NFTs/memecoins"
– @cryptoleer (8.3K followers · 31K impressions · 2025-07-03 20:07 UTC)
View original post
What this means: While easier network access could attract retail users, ETC’s actual dApp/NFT activity remains minimal compared to ETH L2s – adoption metrics needed to confirm impact.

Conclusion

The consensus on $ETC is mixed, balancing bullish protocol upgrades against technical overextension risks. While the Olympia DAO and surging derivatives activity suggest institutional interest, the 14.98% 24h price drop (to $23.88) signals profit-taking near key resistance. Watch the $24.50–$25.60 zone – a sustained break could validate bullish narratives, while failure risks a retest of $21 support. Network hashrate doubling YTD (now 259TH/s) provides underlying security credibility.

TLDR
Ethereum Classic's latest codebase updates focus on protocol-level governance and EVM alignment.

1. Olympia Upgrade Drafts (July 2025) – Introduces decentralized funding and DAO governance.
2. Spiral Upgrade (2024) – Enhanced EVM compatibility for contract migration.
3. EVM Parity Strategy – Delayed adoption of Ethereum upgrades for stability.

Deep Dive

1. Olympia Upgrade Drafts (July 2025)

Overview:
Proposes protocol-level funding via EIP-1559 fee redirection to a treasury and on-chain DAO governance.

The upgrade includes four ECIPs:
- ECIP-1111: Burns 80% of base fees (like Ethereum’s EIP-1559) but redirects 20% to a community treasury.
- ECIP-1113: Creates a DAO for decentralized decision-making on fund allocation.
- ECIP-1114: Establishes a permissionless proposal system (ECFP) for ecosystem projects.

What this means:
This is bullish for ETC because it solves long-term funding challenges, reduces reliance on voluntary contributions, and aligns incentives for developers. The DAO structure reinforces decentralization while maintaining ETC’s “Code is Law” ethos.
(Source)

2. Spiral Upgrade (2024)

Overview:
Implemented earlier in 2024, Spiral aligned ETC with Ethereum’s EVM standards to improve cross-chain compatibility.

Key changes:
- Backward-compatible EVM updates for seamless contract migration.
- Gas optimizations for cost-efficient transactions.

What this means:
Neutral for ETC in the short term but strengthens its position as a secure, PoW-based alternative for Ethereum developers. Enhances interoperability with ETH-based tools like MetaMask.
(Source)

3. EVM Parity Strategy

Overview:
ETC deliberately lags behind Ethereum’s upgrades by ~6 months to vet changes for compatibility with its immutability principles.

Recent examples:
- 2023: Adopted Ethereum’s “Shanghai” upgrades after testing.
- 2025: Monitoring Ethereum’s Prague-Electra (Pectra) hard fork for future integration.

What this means:
This conservative approach minimizes risks of network splits or vulnerabilities, appealing to developers prioritizing stability over rapid innovation.

Conclusion

Ethereum Classic’s codebase advances prioritize decentralized governance (Olympia), EVM compatibility (Spiral), and cautious innovation. The Olympia DAO proposal could catalyze developer activity if ratified by late 2026. With ETC up 53% in 60 days (as of August 2025), will protocol upgrades sustain its momentum against competing L1s?

TLDR
Ethereum Classic’s development focuses on decentralized governance and incremental upgrades.

1. Olympia DAO Governance (End of 2026) – On-chain treasury and funding proposals via ECIP-1113.
2. Layer 2 Scalability Adoption (Ongoing) – Integration of Optimistic Rollups for higher throughput.
3. Contract Versioning (No Date) – Backward compatibility for legacy smart contracts.

Deep Dive

1. Olympia DAO Governance (End of 2026)

Overview: The Olympia Upgrade introduces protocol-level decentralized governance through ECIP-1113, enabling $ETC holders to vote on funding proposals and treasury allocations. Testnet deployment is slated for late 2025, with mainnet activation targeted by late 2026.

What this means:
- Bullish: Creates sustainable funding for ecosystem development and aligns incentives via on-chain governance.
- Risk: Delays in community consensus could slow implementation, given ETC’s decentralized ethos.

2. Layer 2 Scalability Adoption (Ongoing)

Overview: Ethereum Classic aims to leverage Optimistic Rollups and other EVM-compatible Layer 2 solutions to improve transaction throughput. These upgrades inherit innovations from Ethereum’s ecosystem, minimizing development risks.

What this means:
- Bullish: Enhanced scalability could attract DeFi projects seeking low-cost, PoW security.
- Neutral: Adoption depends on third-party developers, as ETC lacks a centralized team to drive L2 integrations.

3. Contract Versioning (No Date)

Overview: A proposed upgrade to enable multiple EVM versions on-chain, ensuring older contracts remain functional while newer ones access upgraded features. This addresses concerns about breaking changes during hard forks.

What this means:
- Bullish: Strengthens ETC’s “Code is Law” principle by preserving legacy dApps (e.g., pre-2015 contracts).
- Bearish: Technical complexity might prolong implementation without clear developer incentives.

Conclusion

Ethereum Classic’s roadmap prioritizes decentralized governance and backward compatibility, balancing innovation with its immutability ethos. The Olympia DAO and Layer 2 adoption could drive utility, but progress hinges on organic community coordination. Will ETC’s “slow and steady” approach outpace rivals in the EVM ecosystem?