Ethereum jumps 20% after Pectra upgrade, marking largest gain in four years

Ethereum jumped 20% to trade above $2,200 on Thursday evening ET following the major Pectra upgrade, driven by renewed risk-on sentiment that spurred investor buying.

"ETH is finally catching up after lagging behind $BTC for most of the year," said Min Jung, research analyst of Presto Research. "The recent Pectra upgrade has helped restore some confidence, and with ETH/BTC down nearly 40% year-to-date at 0.02, it's not surprising to see buyers stepping in at these levels."

Ether's 20% price jump marks its largest single-day gain since May 2021, investing.com data shows. 

The surge followed the activation of the Pectra upgrade — the network’s most significant update since the 2022 Merge — on Tuesday. The upgrade includes code changes that improve staking efficiency, validator operations, and Layer 2 scalability. Ether has since rallied amid a broader crypto market upswing, fueled by renewed U.S.-China trade negotiations.

Nick Ruck, director of LVRG Research, told The Block that the Pectra upgrade triggered a bullish reaction, driving gains in altcoins.

"In addition to positive macroeconomic news, traders believe the crypto industry may have finally found its second wind as a hedge against market uncertainty," Ruck said. "Investors are changing their perspectives on crypto now that altcoins have departed from a negative trend and found buying pressure from a renewed risk-on sentiment."

Meanwhile, Bitcoin extended its rally, rising 4% to change hands at $102,526. This week’s rally was fueled by renewed trade talks set to take place in Switzerland between U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese officials, experts said.