Ethereum Pumps 13% on Policy Shift — Is This the Push ETH Needed for $1,700?

• Ethereum surged 13.7% after Trump paused global tariffs, boosting market confidence.
• Upcoming Pectra upgrade and staking ETFs are fueling renewed investor interest.
• Technical signals and momentum suggest Ethereum may soon break past the $1,700 level.

Ethereum has lit up the charts with a 13.7% jump, landing at $1,613. That kind of move doesn’t happen in a vacuum. This time, credit goes to a surprise policy change from President Trump. By hitting pause on most global tariffs for 90 days, he flipped the switch on market confidence. Crypto didn’t hesitate to react. Ethereum surged, pulling itself out of a slow slump. Add in excitement around staking ETFs and the Pectra upgrade, and now the $1,700 level doesn’t feel so far off.

Confidence Comes Roaring Back

Until this week, Ethereum had been dragging through 2025 like a car stuck in mud. But then came Trump’s unexpected announcement. Tariff relief—excluding China—landed like a sigh of relief across global markets. Stocks climbed. Risk assets got their groove back. And Ethereum? Ethereum sprinted to the front of the pack. A wave of optimism crashed through crypto circles, and Ethereum caught the full swell. Fueling the momentum, the long-awaited Pectra upgrade is just around the corner. Set to roll out on May 7, this update aims to sharpen Ethereum’s tools.

Think smoother staking, faster deposits, and smarter data handling. Developers have been laying groundwork for months. Now, the chain looks ready to evolve. Meanwhile, the ETF space is heating up. Big players like Fidelity, NYSE, and 21Shares want to offer Ethereum ETFs with built-in staking rewards. That’s a big deal. These funds could lure massive institutional money—pension funds, retirement accounts, even corporate treasuries. More access equals more buying pressure.

Momentum is Building Behind the Scenes

Ethereum also looks attractive under the hood. The current trading price sits below the realized price—a setup rarely seen. Historically, these conditions have often signaled a market bottom. On top of that, the MVRV Ratio has entered the “opportunity zone,” a metric traders watch closely for entry signals. April 9 showed what strong momentum really looks like.

Early in the day, bearish signals showed up on the MACD. At 1:20 UTC, RSI flagged oversold, and Ethereum bounced off $1,385. By 3:45 UTC, a golden cross appeared. That moment flipped the tone of the market. The rally ran into resistance near $1,492 by 6:10 UTC, as RSI hinted at overbought levels. At 16:05 UTC, another golden cross brought fresh energy.

From 17:15 to 18:35 UTC, consolidation set in. RSI showed overbought, keeping the price range-bound. Then came another surge at 21:25 UTC. RSI lit up again, and Ethereum reached $1,689 before pulling back slightly. This wasn’t just a spike—it was a statement. The charts showed strength. The community felt the shift.