What could affect the price of ETC?

Ethereum Classic is navigating a challenging path, balancing upcoming network improvements with tough market conditions.

1. Olympia Upgrade (2026) – Major changes to funding and governance at the protocol level
2. Proof-of-Work Competition – Miners’ loyalty faces pressure amid environmental concerns
3. Market Sentiment – Technical indicators show weakness, but some cycle-driven optimism remains

In-Depth Look

1. Protocol Upgrades & DAO Governance (Mixed Outlook)

Overview: The Olympia Upgrade, planned for late 2026, will introduce EIP-1559 fee burning, redirect 80% of base fees to a treasury, and set up on-chain DAO governance. This approach is similar to Ethereum’s fee system but adds decentralized funding, a first for Proof-of-Work (PoW) Ethereum chains.

What this means: Burning fees could reduce the total supply of Ethereum Classic (currently about 155 million ETC), potentially increasing its value. However, this depends on how much the network is used. Right now, ETC processes around 50,000 transactions daily, much less than Ethereum’s 1 million, so the immediate impact may be limited. The new DAO governance could encourage developers to build more on ETC if adoption grows.

2. Proof-of-Work Positioning vs Competitors (Bearish Risks)

Overview: After Ethereum’s switch to Proof-of-Stake, Ethereum Classic remains one of the few major PoW smart contract blockchains, with a hashrate of 167 TH/s showing miner support. However, newer PoW chains like Kadena and Kaspa offer faster transactions, and environmental concerns are increasing regulatory pressure on energy-heavy cryptocurrencies.

What this means: ETC’s average transaction fee is about $0.11, much cheaper than Ethereum’s $1.50 but still over 11 times higher than Solana’s fees. Mining profitability has dropped by 23% compared to last year, which could lead miners to move their resources elsewhere unless network activity picks up.

3. Technical & Market Sentiment (Neutral)

Overview: Despite a 6.7% price drop this week, ETC’s futures open interest jumped 80% to $214 million, which can sometimes signal a false rally, known as a "bull trap," according to Coinalyze data. The Fear & Greed Index is at 45, indicating neutral sentiment, and the Relative Strength Index (RSI-14) at 44.8 shows no strong oversold or overbought conditions.

What this means: The price is currently testing a key support level at $11.79 (the 50% Fibonacci retracement). Falling below $11.32, the low from January 18, could trigger automated selling, while holding above $12.40 might discourage bearish traders. Data from derivatives markets suggests some traders are betting against further price drops.

Conclusion

Ethereum Classic’s outlook for 2026 depends on whether the Olympia Upgrade can create scarcity through fee burning and attract more developers with its DAO governance. To reach optimistic price targets above $30, ETC would need to significantly increase its decentralized app (DApp) usage—potentially by ten times. Keep an eye on the $11.32 support level; a sustained break below this could confirm a bearish pattern, possibly pushing prices down to $9–$10.

Will Ethereum Classic’s “Code is Law” principle be enough to maintain its relevance despite technical challenges in a post-Merge crypto landscape?

What are people saying about ETC?

The Ethereum Classic (ETC) community is divided between strong supporters who believe "code is law" and traders who see signs of a price drop. Here’s the latest:

1. Bearish signals are strong as ETC struggles to hold the $12 support level
2. "Code is law" supporters promote ETC as a form of digital gold, similar to Bitcoin
3. Developer activity is falling behind compared to other smart contract platforms

Deep Dive

1. @KlondikeAI: Bearish Pennant Breakdown Alert 🚨

"ETC forming bearish pennant on 12H chart – short target $10.16 if $12.14 breaks"
– @KlondikeAI (3k followers · 7.7k impressions · 2026-01-19 00:01 UTC)
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What this means: This is a negative sign for ETC’s price. The pattern suggests buyers are losing strength, and if ETC falls below $12.14, it could drop to around $10.16—a 15% decrease from the current $11.91 price.

2. @Treasure_usen: PoW Purists Rally Behind ETC ⚡

"$ETC = $BTC's security + $ETH's programmability. Networks that survive bear markets become legends"
– @Treasure_usen (6.3k followers · 1142 impressions · 2026-01-07 17:46 UTC)
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What this means: This is a positive outlook. ETC is seen as combining Bitcoin’s strong security with Ethereum’s ability to run smart contracts. However, actual use of the network is still much lower—about 93% less—than Ethereum’s.

3. @Nicat_eth: Ecosystem Growth Stalls 📉

"ETC’s developer activity down 62% YoY vs. chains like Solana – security isn’t enough without apps"
– @Nicat_eth (7.5k followers · 1.5k impressions · 2025-12-01 20:53 UTC)
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What this means: This is a cautious to negative sign. While ETC’s proof-of-work (PoW) security attracts miners, the lack of new apps and developer interest limits its growth and demand.

Conclusion

Opinions on Ethereum Classic are mixed. Traders focusing on charts expect the price to drop to $10, while long-term supporters believe in ETC’s limited supply (capped at 210 million coins) and its strong principles. Keep an eye on the $12.14 resistance level—if ETC breaks above it and holds, the downtrend might end. If it fails, the price could continue falling. For dedicated fans, every price dip is a chance to buy “programmable digital gold.” For others, ETC remains a security-focused blockchain that needs more developer activity and apps to grow.

What is expected in the development of ETC?

Ethereum Classic’s development is driven by its community, focusing on improving governance, scalability, and network security.

1. Olympia Upgrade (Late 2026) – Introduces DAO governance and protocol-level funding through ECIPs.
2. EVM Versioning (Under Discussion) – Ensures smart contracts remain compatible with future updates.
3. Layer 2 Integration (Long-Term) – Plans to use Optimistic Rollups to increase transaction capacity.

Deep Dive

1. Olympia Upgrade (Late 2026)

Overview:
The Olympia Upgrade includes four key Ethereum Classic Improvement Proposals (ECIPs):

• ECIP-1111: Changes the fee system by burning 80% of base fees and sending 20% to a community treasury.
• ECIP-1113: Introduces on-chain DAO governance, allowing $ETC holders to vote on funding decisions.
• ECIP-1114: Creates a process for ongoing community-driven funding (ECFP).

What this means:
This upgrade is positive for Ethereum Classic because it builds a sustainable funding model and aligns the interests of miners, developers, and holders. However, delays in testing or slow adoption by the DAO could hold back progress.

2. EVM Versioning (Under Discussion)

Overview:
This proposal aims to keep smart contracts compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) versions they were originally built on, even as the EVM evolves. This means contracts from as far back as 2015 would continue to work without issues.

What this means:
This is somewhat positive, as it offers developers long-term stability. But the complexity of implementing this and slower adoption of new features like zk-SNARKs could be challenges.

3. Layer 2 Integration (Long-Term)

Overview:
Ethereum Classic plans to adopt Layer 2 solutions like Optimistic Rollups, which have been tested on Ethereum. These solutions increase transaction speed and reduce costs while keeping the main network secure.

What this means:
If successful, this would be a strong advantage, making Ethereum Classic a more affordable and scalable option for decentralized applications. However, relying on Ethereum’s Layer 2 technology might limit Ethereum Classic’s ability to stand out.

Conclusion

Ethereum Classic’s roadmap focuses on decentralization, with the Olympia Upgrade in 2026 as a key milestone. Its cautious approach aims to maintain stability, but faster-moving competitors pose a challenge. The big question is whether community-led governance will speed up innovation or slow down decision-making.

What updates are there in the ETC code base?

Ethereum Classic's technology is moving toward decentralized governance and reliable funding.

1. Olympia Upgrade Proposal (July 1, 2025) – Introduces an on-chain treasury and DAO governance to give the community control over funding and decisions.

Deep Dive

1. Olympia Upgrade Proposal (July 1, 2025)

Overview:
The Olympia Upgrade brings several important changes to Ethereum Classic (ETC). It sets up an on-chain treasury and a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) governance system. This means ETC holders can vote on how funds are used and a portion of transaction fees will be directed to support ongoing network development.

The upgrade includes four key proposals (ECIPs):

• ECIP-1111: Activates EIP-1559 fee mechanics, redirecting the BASEFEE to a treasury
• ECIP-1112: Creates a permanent treasury contract
• ECIP-1113: Establishes on-chain DAO governance
• ECIP-1114: Defines a permissionless process for submitting funding proposals (ECFP)

What this means:
This is a positive step for ETC because it creates a sustainable, community-controlled funding system. It addresses past challenges like limited access to development resources. Users will have clear, transparent influence over how the network grows, all while keeping compatibility with existing systems. Although there are some risks with implementation, testing is currently underway to ensure stability.

(Ethereum Classic DAO)

Conclusion

The Olympia framework sets up Ethereum Classic for ongoing innovation through decentralized governance, staying true to its "code is law" principle while solving funding challenges. The big question now is: how will the community’s involvement shape ETC’s future development as the upgrade approaches mainnet launch?

Why did the price of ETC fall?

Ethereum Classic (ETC) dropped 7.08% in the past 24 hours, underperforming the overall crypto market, which fell by 2.71%. This brought ETC’s losses for the week to 5.62%. The main reasons for this decline are:

1. Overall Market Decline: The crypto market fell by 2.7%, with investors becoming more cautious after recent gains.
2. Technical Breakdown: ETC fell below an important price level around $12.14, triggering automatic sell orders.
3. Project-Specific Issues: Concerns about slower developer activity and competition from faster blockchains came back into focus.

1. Overall Market Decline (Negative Impact)

Summary: The total value of all cryptocurrencies dropped 2.71%, reflecting a more cautious mood among investors. The Fear & Greed Index, which measures market sentiment, moved to "Neutral" at 45. Since ETC’s price often moves closely with Bitcoin (which dominates 59% of the market), this increased ETC’s losses compared to the broader market.

What this means: As an older blockchain that uses Proof of Work (PoW) mining, ETC tends to experience bigger price swings during market downturns. The 19.9% drop in trading volume over 24 hours shows fewer buyers and sellers, making ETC more vulnerable to sharp price moves.

2. Technical Breakdown (Negative Impact)

Summary: ETC’s price fell below a key support level at $12.14, which is a price point where buyers usually step in. This triggered automatic sell orders and forced liquidations, pushing the price down to $11.88.

What this means: This price drop confirmed a bearish pattern called a descending triangle, indicating more selling pressure. The Relative Strength Index (RSI), a tool that measures if an asset is overbought or oversold, is at 39.21—showing sellers are in control but the asset isn’t extremely oversold yet. Attempts to bounce back have been weak, showing little buying interest.

What to watch: If ETC’s price stays below $11.32, the next support level could be around $10.50.

3. Project-Specific Issues (Negative Impact)

Summary: Recent reports have pointed out that ETC’s developer activity is slower compared to newer blockchains like Solana and Sui, which offer faster transaction speeds. These concerns have resurfaced as the market weakened.

What this means: ETC’s Proof of Work system faces challenges such as environmental concerns and pressure on miners’ profits. Without upcoming improvements or upgrades, ETC may find it hard to attract investment during tough market conditions.

Conclusion

ETC’s recent price drop is due to a combination of a broad market decline, a technical breakdown in price, and ongoing concerns about the project’s development and competitiveness. Its close link to Bitcoin’s price and lower trading volume make it more volatile.

Key points to watch: Keep an eye on Bitcoin’s price stability, as it heavily influences ETC. Also, watch for any updates or improvements to the ETC network. A declining miner hash rate could signal more selling pressure ahead.

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What is the latest news about ETC?

Ethereum Classic (ETC) shows mixed signals: some experts expect its price to bounce back, but interest in mining the coin is slowing down.

1. Analysts Optimistic About ETC (January 17, 2026) – Experts predict ETC could reach $30 to $80 by 2026, thanks to its strong proof-of-work system and typical market cycles.
2. Changes in Mining Profitability (January 1, 2026) – ETC remains a popular coin for GPU mining but faces challenges after its recent halving event, making mining less efficient.

In-Depth Look

1. Analysts Optimistic About ETC (January 17, 2026)

Summary: Market experts believe Ethereum Classic could recover to a price range of $30 to $80 by 2026. This optimism is based on a general recovery in the cryptocurrency market and ETC’s unique status as a proof-of-work smart contract platform. ETC’s fixed supply and loyal miners are seen as strengths. However, the coin faces challenges like low developer activity and competition from other blockchains such as Solana.

What this means for you: This outlook is cautiously positive. ETC’s success depends on the overall crypto market improving and miners continuing to support the network. If more people start using ETC, it could benefit from being seen as a “digital gold” type of asset. But if it doesn’t attract enough developers, it might struggle to grow. (CoinMarketCap)

2. Changes in Mining Profitability (January 1, 2026)

Summary: Ethereum Classic is still one of the top coins to mine using GPUs (graphics cards) in 2026, thanks to its Etchash algorithm and compatibility with GPUs that have 4 to 6 GB of memory. However, after a recent halving event—which reduces mining rewards—mining has become less efficient. Additionally, more powerful ASIC miners like the Bitmain Antminer S21 Pro are becoming dominant, making it harder for smaller miners to compete.

What this means for you: This situation is neutral for ETC. While stable mining helps keep the network secure, there is a risk that mining becomes too centralized in the hands of large operations. Miners should keep an eye on electricity costs and consider alternatives like Kaspa, which requires less power to mine. (WhiteBit Blog)

Conclusion

Ethereum Classic maintains its reputation as a reliable proof-of-work blockchain but faces challenges growing its developer community and ecosystem. While price predictions are optimistic, concerns about mining becoming centralized remain. The key question is whether ETC can use its strong “immutability” story to attract more developers and stay competitive in a crowded market.