Ethereum ETFs have surged with record inflows, reaching $2.2 billion for the week of November 26, 2024, outpacing Bitcoin. The SEC's approval of mixed Bitcoin-Ethereum ETFs is expected to further boost interest.

Ethereum's market sentiment is buoyant, with its price rebounding from $3,051 and aiming for the $3,659 resistance level. Despite trading below the 100-day SMA, bullish momentum is building, potentially driving prices higher if resistance is breached.

Ragnarok Landverse, a new MMORPG launching on the Ronin sidechain of Ethereum, will debut in early 2025 after a successful soft launch on the BNB Chain. The game has drawn over 400,000 players and $15 million in NFT sales, with pre-registration offering potential rewards.

Crypto analyst Rekt Capital anticipates Ether may fluctuate between $3,000 and $4,000, warning of a possible dip below $3,000 following a recent 10% decline. Despite this, long-term prospects remain bullish, with VanEck forecasting a potential rise to $6,000 by late 2025, underpinned by low exchange supplies and ETF growth.

Ethereum developers discussed raising the gas limit to 36 million and the progress of the Pectra upgrade in their final 2024 call. The proposed changes aim to improve scalability, with successful Mekong testnet results, but face challenges related to validator support and technical constraints.

EIP-1559, a major Ethereum upgrade from August 2021, revamped transaction fees by introducing a dynamic pricing model, replacing the inefficient first-price auction system. This change has led to more predictable fees, reduced volatility, and improved user experience, while paving the way for further enhancements like EIP-4844.

StarkWare's CEO announced Starknet aims to quadruple its Ethereum layer-2 transaction capacity to compete with Solana's TPS. Meanwhile, Vitalik Buterin targets 100,000 TPS for Ethereum's future scalability.

Ethereum's layer 2 networks have surged in adoption, reaching $60 billion in total value locked as of December 2024. Solutions like rollups and sidechains enhance scalability and dApp compatibility, addressing network congestion.

EigenLayer launched its slashing testnet on December 20, 2024, setting the stage for a mainnet debut pending ELIP-002 approval. The testnet introduces Unique Stake Allocation and Operator Sets, aiming to minimize slashing risks and organize operator tasks effectively. RedStone and Infura are key players, preparing to enhance EigenLayer's offerings.

Ether ETFs are gaining traction and may surpass Bitcoin ETFs in net inflows by 2025, with Ether ETFs seeing $2.2 billion in inflows in late November. Regulatory approvals and high staking yields are key growth factors, with Ether's price potentially hitting $6,000 by late 2025.

The DeFi sector is heating up with Ethereum leading the charge due to its robust Layer 2 solutions, while emerging contender Lightchain AI aims for dominance by 2025 with its AI-focused features. Lightchain AI's unique offerings like AIVM and PoI are drawing significant attention, despite its current presale status.

BlackRock's Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs attracted a hefty $860 million in a day, underscoring a surge in institutional demand for crypto-backed investments. Ethereum spot ETFs, boosted by 18 days of inflows, now represent 3% of Ethereum's market cap, amidst market volatility and ongoing Ethereum 2.0 developments.

Despite Solana's 83% surge in developer activity, Ethereum's adaptability and new Layer-2 solutions like Base, Optimism, and Arbitrum bolster its blockchain dominance, says expert Matt Hougan. Ethereum's advancements in scalability and transaction efficiency could help maintain its leadership, with predictions of its price soaring to $6,000 by 2025.

Mantle Network, a leading Ethereum layer 2 platform, is transitioning to a zero-knowledge validity rollup with Succinct, drastically reducing transaction finality to one hour. This move, planned for Q1 2025, aims to improve capital efficiency and establish Mantle as a top liquidity chain, enhancing both security and developer experience in the Ethereum ecosystem.

Deep Funding, backed by Vitalik Buterin, aims to improve Ethereum's public goods funding using AI and decentralized reviews with a $250,000 prize pool. The initiative addresses inefficiencies by evaluating projects with an AI model to ensure fair allocation, focusing on GitHub repositories and open-source contributions.

Data availability is crucial for scaling Ethereum Layer 2 rollups, which rely on Layer 1 for enforcing this availability. Rollups utilize Ethereum's security for data but face challenges in achieving trustless and censorship-resistant solutions.

Ethereum's 'Pump The Gas' initiative sees 10% of validators backing a gas limit increase to over 30 million, up from 1% earlier this month. This aims to cut transaction fees and support high-demand apps, though experts warn of potential network risks.

Base, Coinbase's Layer 2 blockchain, outpaced Ethereum Mainnet in daily transactions for the first time on December 19, 2024, highlighting its rapid growth and adoption. With over $4 billion in Total Value Locked and no reliance on incentives like token rewards, Base shows strong user retention and sets a new standard for Layer 2 networks.

Ethereum is trading at $3,711.19, up 4.17% in the last 24 hours, but its 2024 growth of 76% lags behind Solana and Bitcoin. Despite this, experts predict institutional interest could push Ether's price to $10,000-$12,000 by 2025, buoyed by major investments and technological stability.