Michael van de Poppe, a prominent crypto analyst, recently outlined three key factors that could herald a bullish phase for Ethereum, the second-largest crypto by market capitalization. One crucial factor he identifies is Bitcoin’s current behavior. The analyst pointed out that as the market leader, Bitcoin’s recent signs of bottoming out tend to precede altcoin rallies, hinting at a potential upswing for Ethereum. Moreover, Van de Poppe highlights the growing anticipation surrounding spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs). According to Van de Poppe, the increasing buzz about these spot ETFs is a significant catalyst that could drive Ethereum’s value over the coming weeks. Related Reading: Recovery Dim? Ethereum Faces Potential Slide Towards $2,000 Additionally, Ethereum is on the cusp of rolling out critical network upgrades. These updates, aimed at reducing transaction costs by up to 90%, are expected to improve the network’s efficiency and scalability significantly. The momentum towards $ETH is probably going to come in the next few weeks. Arguments: – #Bitcoin bottoming out is a trigger for altcoins to make a new run. – Ethereum Spot ETF hype. – Ethereum launching new upgrades to reduce 90% of the costs. pic.twitter.com/N8bDi52F8M — Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) January 25, 2024 Latest Update On Ethereum Deacon Upgrade Regarding updates, Ethereum’s development team is making strides with the upcoming Dencun upgrade, a significant “hard fork” that aims to enhance the blockchain’s efficiency. Tim Beiko, a core Ethereum developer, updated the community earlier today on the progress. Dencun, which incorporates “proto-danksharding,” is set to reduce transaction costs on layer 2 solutions, making Ethereum more accessible and affordable for users. According to the developer, the upgrade is scheduled to activate on the Sepolia testnet on January 30 and the Holesky testnet on February 7, with mainnet implementation following if these tests succeed. More testnet blobs on the way .oO Dencun will activate on Sepolia Jan 30, and on Holesky Feb 7. If running a node on either network, now’s the time to update it! Assuming both of these go smoothly, mainnet is next ✅https://t.co/QbEUACix2S — timbeiko.eth ☀️ (@TimBeiko) January 25, 2024 Brighter Future Ahead Despite these positive developments, Ethereum’s market performance mirrors the overall bearish sentiment in the crypto market, led by Bitcoin. ETH has seen a 13.7% decline in the past week, currently trading at $2,216. However, analysts like Van de Poppe urge caution, particularly regarding the impact of the Bitcoin spot ETF. While there may be short-term selling pressure, Van de Poppe remains optimistic about the long-term prospects. Related Reading: Ethereum Price is Primed For a Correction And Only 1 Thing is Holding it Back The analyst suggests that the influx of new capital from diverse market participants could propel Bitcoin, and by extension, Ethereum, to new heights. The markets need to be more accurate with the impact of the ETF. There’s some selling pressure in the short term, but in the long term, a massive amount of new money flows into the markets from new participants. As a result, #Bitcoin might push higher this cycle than we think. — Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) January 25, 2024 Featured image from Unsplash, Chart from TradingView