XRP Buyers Fail, Ethereum Price Spikes 10% as Gas Fees Slashed

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The Ethereum price jumped 10% higher today as gas fees get slashed, while other cryptos such as Bitcoin and XRP reversed lower at resistance.

Ethereum Leads Crypto Market Today

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Ethereum’s latest rally is fueled by a substantial reduction in transaction fees, which plunged by more than 2/3rds, or nearly 70% last week, dropping from $23 million to $7.5 million per day. This sharp decline comes as a result of a higher gas cap, which enables more transactions per block, increasing network efficiency and reducing congestion. Lower fees make Ethereum more attractive to users and developers, further boosting demand.

Ethereum Chart Daily – MAs Still Remain As ResistanceChart ETHUSDm, D1, 2025.02.17 18:19 UTC, Exness Technologies Ltd, MetaTrader 5, Real

The timing of this fee reduction aligns perfectly with Ethereum’s upcoming upgrade, Pectra, that should be the most significant update to the network so far. Market participants are already responding to these changes—exchange-held ETH reserves have fallen by one million ETH in just 10 days, from 19.7 million to 18.8 million ETH. This decline signals that investors are increasingly holding their assets instead of selling, a bullish indicator suggesting growing confidence in Ethereum’s long-term potential.

Vitalik Buterin Calls for Increasing Gas Limit

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has taken this momentum further by advocating for an additional increase in Ethereum’s gas limit. He argues that raising the gas cap will:

  • Less censorship, ensuring transactions remain decentralized.
  • Reduce cross-layer transaction costs, making it cheaper to move assets between Ethereum’s Layer-2 solutions.
  • Provide a safety buffer in case of network congestion or unexpected stress events.

If implemented, these changes could make Ethereum significantly more scalable and efficient, reinforcing its position as the leading smart contract platform.

XRP Buyers Fail at the 50 SMAChart XRPUSDm, D1, 2025.02.17 18:19 UTC, Exness Technologies Ltd, MetaTrader 5, Real

Last week, XRP saw strong bullish momentum, with buyers pushing the price beyond its established range of $2.25 to $2.55. The rally briefly peaked at $2.83, surpassing the 50-day SMA for the first time in weeks. Optimism surrounding a potential XRP ETF approval further fueled this surge, with market sentiment turning increasingly positive.

However, XRP struggled to hold above the 50-day SMA, encountering strong resistance that led to a price reversal back down to $2.60. Now, the market is watching closely to see whether this decline will deepen or if buyers can regain control. If XRP manages to stabilize at this level, a retest of the 50-day SMA could be imminent, potentially leading to a breakout toward the psychological $3 mark.

With increasing speculation surrounding crypto ETFs and institutional interest rising, XRP’s next move will be crucial. If buyers regain momentum, a sustained push above the 50-day SMA could trigger another rally, setting up a run toward new yearly highs.

Ethereum Live Chart

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Skerdian Meta
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Skerdian Meta Lead Analyst. Skerdian is a professional Forex trader and a market analyst. He has been actively engaged in market analysis for the past 11 years. Before becoming our head analyst, Skerdian served as a trader and market analyst in Saxo Bank's local branch, Aksioner. Skerdian specialized in experimenting with developing models and hands-on trading. Skerdian has a masters degree in finance and investment.
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