Ethereum Under Pressure as 1,900 Level Is Tested Amid Institutional Exodus

Ethereum CRYPTO000ETH

Ethereum retailers and traders alike watched nervously on Friday as the token briefly slipped below $1,900, staying firmly in the red for the session. The move wasn?t driven solely by chart patterns; a pronounced shift among large institutional buyers has amplified downside pressure.

The latest price pull aligns with sizable outflows from U.S. spot ETFs. SoSoValue data show a clear mood shift: on February 11, investors pulled a net $129.1 million from the space. That withdrawal wipes out earlier, smaller inflows and signals growing caution among buyers.

The heaviest hit was Fidelity?s FETH fund, which saw about a $67.1 million outflow in a single day, followed by BlackRock?s ETHA, with roughly $29.4 million leaving. Analysts interpret these figures as evidence that major players are de-risking as Ethereum struggles to decouple from the broader market weakness.

Fears of a ?lost decade? for crypto

Adding to the sour mood is a more pessimistic fundamental read. A Bitget News-aggregated report warns that the sector could face a ?lost decade.? The argument centers on valuation after inflation, suggesting that current prices offer little real return for holders who entered around the 2018 peak near $1,400.

With Ethereum down about 35.5% since the start of 2026, the concern grows that simply holding?without staking yields?could underperform safe, money-market alternatives over an eight-year horizon.

A critical level comes under test

The selling pressure on Friday produced a test of the widely watched $1,900 support. The intraday low reached $1,899.12 before buyers stepped in, lifting the price to roughly $1,945. Yet technical analysts view the brief breach as a warning signal: a sustained move below this level could open the door to deeper losses, potentially toward around $1,740.

Fragile market dynamics

Beyond the price action, the market backdrop remains unsettled. On-chain data still show pockets of resilience, but macro headwinds and a retreat of institutional funds dominate the near term. With estimated unrealized losses globally exceeding $5 billion, the market currently lacks a spark that would spur a durable trend reversal.