Ethereum Derivatives Drive Short-Term Strength While Hedera Faces Sustained Pressure

Source: TheCryptoUpdates Original Title: Original Link: The crypto market is moving in different directions at once, forcing traders to compare short-term signals with longer-term structure. The Ethereum price today is being shaped by derivatives activity and key resistance levels, while the Hedera price continues to struggle under fading demand and weak on-chain metrics. At the same time, attention is shifting toward early-stage opportunities where structure and access matter as much as price.

One project increasingly entering that discussion is Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP), whose live presale auction is drawing interest for a very specific reason. By enforcing strict $50,000 anti-whale limits and tying participation to real network usage, ZKP crypto is changing how early exposure is evaluated. This contrast between established assets under pressure and a tightly controlled presale helps explain why some buyers are reassessing what qualifies as the best crypto to buy right now.

Ethereum Price Today Faces Resistance as Futures Activity Builds

The Ethereum price today is showing short-term strength, largely driven by activity in derivatives markets rather than spot demand. Data shows the ETH Taker Buy Sell Ratio has climbed from 0.906 earlier in the week to 1.05, its highest level since early December.

A move above 1 signals that buy-side market orders are outweighing sell pressure in perpetual swaps, pointing to renewed bullish positioning. This shift has been reinforced by a sharp rise in futures open interest. It increased by around 400,000 ETH in a single session, reflecting fresh leverage entering the market.

However, the recovery remains uneven. US-based sentiment continues to lag, with spot Ethereum ETFs recording roughly $630 million in net outflows over six consecutive days.

From a technical perspective, ETH is once again testing resistance at the 20-day EMA after bouncing from the lower boundary of a long-running triangle. A confirmed break above this level would improve upside prospects, while failure keeps downside risk toward $2,620 in play.

Hedera Price Struggles as Demand Weakens Across Markets

The Hedera price remains under heavy pressure after a prolonged decline that has erased much of its earlier gains. HBAR is down roughly 63% from its July high and more than 70% from its 2024 peak, trading near levels last seen in November. One of the clearest headwinds has been fading institutional interest.

Demand for the recently launched spot HBAR ETF has stalled, with no fresh inflows recorded since mid-December and daily trading volume dropping to zero. Futures activity has also cooled sharply, as open interest slid from around $449 million in October to near $100 million, signaling reduced trader participation.

On-chain metrics offer little relief. Hedera’s total value locked remains below $200 million, and stablecoin usage on the network is limited compared to peers. From a technical standpoint, HBAR has broken below key support near $0.1248 and continues to trade under major moving averages. Unless demand improves, downside risk toward the $0.10 and $0.08 zones remains elevated.

Zero Knowledge Proof: Anti-Whale Design Limits Large Holdings

Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) is gaining attention as the best crypto to buy not because of short-term price chatter, but due to how its presale is engineered to control distribution from day one. At the center of this design is a strict anti-whale rule that caps daily purchases at $50,000 per wallet.

This limit prevents a small number of large buyers from absorbing supply early and forces participation to spread across a wider base. For many traders, that structure changes the risk profile of entering early, since supply concentration is actively restricted rather than promised away.

That mechanism is already shaping behavior. The presale auction is live, and participation is accelerating as buyers realize they cannot wait for a single large entry to secure exposure later. Each 24-hour auction window resets allocation, and missed sessions cannot be reclaimed. This has created visible urgency, with buyers moving in consistently instead of sitting on the sidelines. Demand is stacking across days rather than spiking once, which is often what analysts watch for when assessing sustainable interest.

Momentum is also extending beyond token purchases. Proof Pods are being bought alongside presale entries, signaling that participants want to operate inside the network rather than simply hold tokens. These devices allow users to run verifiable compute and earn ZKP coins through actual workload contribution, tying rewards directly to usage. That combination of capped buying power and active participation is rare in early-stage projects.

Closing Insights on the Best Crypto to Buy

Ethereum price today and Hedera price both highlight the challenges facing established assets as resistance, weak demand, and cautious sentiment shape near-term outlooks. Ethereum is leaning on derivatives momentum while struggling to clear key levels, and Hedera continues to face declining participation across spot, futures, and on-chain activity.

Against that backdrop, Zero Knowledge Proof stands out for how it approaches early access. Its live presale auction, strict $50,000 daily anti-whale limit, and rising Proof Pod purchases are creating urgency driven by structure rather than speculation. As buyers look beyond price charts and toward distribution and participation, ZKP crypto is increasingly entering conversations around early-stage investment opportunities while access is still open.