Ethereum’s native token climbed about 25% over the past week after U.S. President Donald Trump signed the bipartisan GENUIS Act into law. Ethereum’s role in financial markets has gained significant attention just after Trump made the move.
It makes stablecoins legal digital cash in the U.S. Investors, analysts, and protocol developers are waiting for the major changes this will bring in 2025.
Boost from the GENUIS Act
The GENUIS Act was signed last week with support from both parties in Congress. It classifies stablecoins as lawful digital cash under U.S. law.
This change has driven demand for Ethereum, since most stablecoins run on its network. Stablecoin firms can now issue coins with greater confidence, and financial players see Ethereum as a key platform for these new digital rails.
At the same time, Ethereum ETFs witnessed high inflows last week. The numbers reached as high as $726.74 million.
Bernstrin analysts said that big asset managers, just like BlackRock, will likely be responsible for pushing the price of ETH by holding ETH in their portfolio. Banks and fintech firms are also buying ETH to manage their network fees on Daaps.
Also Read: Cathie Wood Backs Ethereum Foundation’s Push For Scalability And Privacy
Protocol Upgrade Timeline
Core developers are eyeing November for the Fusaka hard fork, targeting better scalability and overall efficiency. The upgrade will roll out about six months after the Pectra release, which rolled out account abstraction and increased staking limits.
After Fusaka, the Glamsterdam upgrade is poised for confirmation on August 1. Glamsterdam will deliver new capabilities that will bolster DeFi ecosystems and enhance interoperability with layer‑2 networks.
ETH’s Price Actions
At the time of writing, Ethereum trades at $3,772.96 and marks a 2% gain over the past 24 hours. Trading volume also rose by more than 42% in the same period.
The network’s total market cap stands at $455.44 billion. These figures highlight robust interest as the community prepares for the next wave of upgrades.
Analyst Commentary
“Stablecoins are now legal digital cash,” Bernstein analysts wrote. “Given stablecoins’ dominant rail, Ethereum is having its moment, ETH is up about 45% in the last 2 weeks.”
Analysts view this as more than a typical crypto boom. Instead, they call it a cycle driven by blockchain financial services. Their note predicts continued strong investment in ETH, backed by the rise of Ethereum treasury firms and growing yield strategies.
Market commentators point to a broader hunt for yield in the crypto space. Ethereum’s staking rewards and DeFi protocols have drawn capital away from other assets.
The launch of treasury companies that hold ETH on their balance sheet is a new trend. These firms follow in the footsteps of well‑known Bitcoin treasury companies but focus on the second-largest blockchain.
What Comes Next?
The upcoming months are make-or-break for Ethereum. The Fusaka and Glamsterdam upgrades must deploy seamlessly. At the same time, stablecoin providers must start operating within the revised regulatory framework.
Large institutional investors are focused on whether ETH positions in portfolios and corporate balance sheets withstand any market turbulence. If the network and regulatory transitions succeed, another upward price surge becomes likely.