Ethereum Price Forecast: ETH sees a downtick despite successful Pectra launch on Hoodi testnet
Ethereum Pectra Upgrade Successfully Launches on Hoodi Testnet, ETH Faces Bearish Risks
Ethereum’s much-anticipated **Pectra upgrade** has successfully gone live on the **Hoodi testnet**, overcoming earlier challenges on the Holesky and Sepolia networks. While this marks a significant step forward for Ethereum’s development, **ETH price remains under pressure**, facing potential downside risks if bearish patterns play out.
#### **Ethereum Pectra Upgrade Advances Toward Mainnet**
Ethereum developers have successfully activated the **Pectra upgrade** on the Hoodi testnet, ensuring a smooth deployment without major technical issues. If the testnet phase continues to perform well, **Pectra could launch on Ethereum’s mainnet as early as April 25**, following the protocol’s guideline of at least **30 days of stable testing** before a full rollout.
However, the **final decision on the mainnet launch date** is expected to come during the **Ethereum All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call on Thursday**. The upgrade introduces **several key improvements**, including:
- **Sponsored transactions** and gas payments in ERC-20 tokens
- **Transaction batching** for efficiency
- **Wallet recovery solutions**
- **An increase in staking limits** from 32 ETH to **2,048 ETH**
- **Expanded "blobs per block" capacity** for better scalability
The Hoodi testnet, launched last Friday, was deployed to **address validator exit testing issues** that were previously hindered by execution client problems on Holesky and Sepolia.
Ethereum Name Service (ENS) founder **Nick Johnson** highlighted the importance of a **cautious approach**, stating, _“Upgrades are always going to have their hiccups. If delaying the mainnet launch ensures Pectra’s success, it’s a worthwhile tradeoff.”_
#### **Ethereum Faces Bearish Risks Despite Positive Developments**
Despite the positive technical milestone, Ethereum’s price remains under pressure. ETH dropped **3% on Wednesday**, currently trading around **$2,069**, after failing to break key resistance.
Technical indicators suggest that **Ethereum could validate a bearish flag pattern**, a formation signaling **continued downside risks**. A decisive break below **$1,818** could push ETH toward **$1,522**, reinforcing bearish momentum.
Additionally, **futures market data** from Coinglass shows **$50.97 million in liquidations** in the past 24 hours, with long positions accounting for **$41.83 million**, further underscoring market uncertainty.
**Technical Indicators:**
- **Relative Strength Index (RSI)** is trending downward, signaling declining momentum
- **Stochastic Oscillator** shows bearish pressure as the %K line dips below its moving average
- **A firm breakout above the ascending trendline** could reverse the bearish outlook and trigger an uptrend
#### **Looking Ahead**
Ethereum’s **Pectra upgrade** is a major step toward **scalability and usability improvements**, but **market sentiment and technical factors** will determine short-term price action. Investors will closely monitor **Thursday’s ACDC developer call** for insights into Pectra’s **mainnet launch timeline** and any adjustments to Ethereum’s roadmap.
For now, Ethereum traders remain cautious, as **technical patterns suggest potential downside risks unless ETH reclaims key support levels.**