Jerome Powell rate-cut hint jolts Ethereum price toward 2021 ATH territory

A wave of optimism from Jackson Hole swept through digital asset markets, with Ethereum price leading the charge. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap surged over 14%, bringing its historical $4,891 all-time high firmly into view.

According to crypto.news data, Ethereum (ETH) surged over 14% on August 22, jumping from a daily low of $4,205 to trade as high as $4,820 as of press time, a mere 1.5% away from its all-time high price of $4,891, set four years ago.

The token’s trading volume jumped 95% in the last 24 hours to top $68.22 billion, dwarfing Bitcoin’s (BTC) $79.86 billion during the same period. The original cryptocurrency gained 4% on Friday to exchange hands at $116,640 at the time of writing.

ETH’s stunning rally alongside a broader crypto market rebound came as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, during his keynote in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, signaled a potential pivot in monetary policy, stating that the current “shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance.”

“This is bullish for the front end of the yield curve and risk assets, where bitcoin is a fast horse in the race. A dovish tilt could supercharge BTC’s narrative as a hedge against fiat uncertainty, accelerating institutional accumulation and liquidity. While the mid and long end of the curve remain uncertain, bitcoin’s sensitivity to macro signals means it’s poised to ride any wave of optimism from rate cut expectations.” Jessy Gilger, investment Advisor at Bitcoin financial services firm Unchained, said.

Fed signals must meet Ethereum fundamentals

According to Marcin Kazmierczak, Co-founder of RedStone, a measured Fed easing cycle could be the final catalyst required for ETH to shatter the $4,800-$5,000 resistance barrier and chart a course toward new all-time highs. However, he cautions that Powell’s deliberately careful tone is a reminder that sustainable growth cannot rely on monetary policy speculation alone.

Kazmierczak argues that any lasting rally must be anchored by continued fundamental adoption, specifically pointing to robust institutional flows via spot ETFs and a resurgence in decentralized finance network activity. These fundamentals, rather than fleeting Fed sentiment, provide the necessary bedrock for a true breakout.

“The convergence of institutional flows, DeFi activity, and potential Fed accommodation creates a compelling setup for ETH to potentially reach the $5,000-$6,000 range that analysts have been targeting for 2025,” Kazmierczak said in a statement obtained by crypto.news.

This bullish technical and fundamental setup has encouraged strikingly optimistic predictions. Arthur Hayes, chief investment officer at Maelstrom, has projected that Ethereum’s momentum could propel it to a staggering $20,000 by the cycle’s end.

In a recent interview on Crypto Banter, Hayes stated, “The chart says it’s going higher, you can’t fight the market. I think [Ethereum] goes to $10,000, $20,000, before the end of the cycle.” This audacious forecast, while speculative, captures the intensely optimistic sentiment building around Ethereum’s potential.

Public markets respond to ETH price surge

The Ethereum price surge euphoria bled into public equity markets, offering a proxy for institutional Ethereum exposure. Companies with significant ether treasuries, which had been battered earlier in the week amid a tech sector sell-off, ripped higher in tandem with the coin’s price. Bitmine Immersion and SharpLink Gaming saw their shares jump 14% and 12%, respectively, according to CNBC data.

Still, the outlook remains layered. Ether-focused ETFs, which snapped a four-day streak of outflows with $287.6 million in inflows on Thursday, remain on pace for their worst week since May. That divergence highlights the tension between short-term speculation and long-term allocation, leaving open the question of how much institutional appetite will continue if the Fed’s policy path stays uncertain.