Ethereum Slides Below $2,500 After $2,600 Break Fails
FxRoy
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September 15, 2026
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Ethereum couldn't keep the bounce going. Price slipped back under $2,500 after a short-lived push above $2,600 ran out of steam, and the MACD crossing lower on the daily chart is adding weight to the downside case.
Why the $2,600 Break Didn't Hold
The failure happened fast. ETH climbed above the round number on thin volume, then reversed within hours once sellers stepped back in. That left the pair sitting near $2,475, with the next obvious support sitting around the $2,400 area where buyers defended earlier this month.
Traders who've been long since the April lows are now nursing stops just under that level. The MACD flip is the kind of signal that often accelerates liquidations once leveraged positions start to unwind.
U.S. Data Calendar Adds Pressure
Two scheduled releases this week are keeping desks cautious. Markets are pricing in the chance of hotter CPI prints and the usual monthly employment update, both of which have moved crypto in the past when they surprised to the upside. A hotter-than-expected number could push yields higher again and give ETH another shove lower.
That's the scenario that's got some desks trimming exposure rather than adding to it. Others are waiting to see if the $2,450 region attracts fresh bids before deciding whether the dip is buyable.
Two Views on the Next Move
One side argues that the broader risk backdrop still favors dips being bought. Bitcoin has held its own above $60,000, and stablecoin flows into exchanges haven't shown any sudden exodus. If the U.S. data comes in line or softer, ETH could retest $2,600 without much resistance.
The other side points to the technical breakdown itself. A daily MACD cross lower has preceded extended moves lower in ETH before, and open interest on perpetual futures remains elevated. If stops cluster below $2,450, the unwind could be quick.
What Comes Next for ETH
Watch how price behaves around the $2,450-$2,400 band over the next session or two. A clean break there opens the door to a test of the 50-day moving average near $2,300. A bounce that reclaims $2,550 would at least put the immediate bearish signal on pause.
Position sizing matters here — this is the kind of setup that can catch over-leveraged accounts off guard if the data surprises. No one knows exactly how far it runs from here.