Ethereum Classic (ETC) is changing hands at ≈ US $16.4 on 24 June 2025—almost exactly where last year’s sell-off finally found support—while the chain’s hashrate grinds near fresh records and its next “fifthening” supply cut edges closer. More than 150 open-source contributors have pushed commits over the past 12 months, and derivatives funding has cooled to a neutral 0.01 %, hinting at washed-out leverage. Recent U.S. exchange listings have broadened retail access, yet ongoing environmental debates continue to shadow Proof-of-Work assets. For investors who prize PoW scarcity and can stomach crypto-wide volatility, the present range still looks like a patient accumulation zone.
Fundamentals Check
Network security & activity
CoinWarz and Minerstat place the 30-day average hashrate between ≈ 262 TH/s and 296 TH/s, less than 5 % shy of the all-time peak logged in March 2025. A rising hashrate generally strengthens economic security by making chain re-organisations more resource-intensive for would-be attackers.
Monetary policy: the “Fifthening”
ETC reduces its block reward by -20 % every 5 million blocks; after the most recent cut in April 2024 issuance fell to 2.048 ETC per block. With roughly 152 M ETC already circulating out of a 210.7 M hard cap, annual inflation now sits well below 4 %.
Development momentum
Stack.Money tallies 151 individual contributors and over 500 commits during the past year, led by maintainers such as IstoraMandiri and Donald McIntyre. Current roadmap discussions focus on Etchash performance tweaks and expanded EVM-compatibility slated for late-2025 hard-fork consideration.
Market Sentiment
Derivatives pulse
Industry funding-rate dashboards show perpetual-swap rates hovering around the baseline 0.01 %, signalling a balanced long/short posture after the May slide.
Regulatory & liquidity factors
eToro’s 28 May 2025 expansion added ETC to its U.S. offering, modestly widening on-ramp options for retail traders. Conversely, sustainability analysts continue to flag Proof-of-Work chains for their elevated energy footprints, a theme that may temper institutional allocations in the absence of robust offset schemes.
Bottom-Fishing Checklist
| Signal | Current Reading | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Hashrate near ATH | 262-296 TH/s | Network security supportive |
| Funding rate neutral | ~0.01 % | Leverage reset |
| Upcoming supply shock | Next reward cut ≈ Q4 2026 | Medium-term bullish |
| Developer activity healthy | 150 + contributors / yr | Ecosystem alive |
Conclusion
With price anchored near a historically significant US $16 floor, hashrate printing near-record highs, and another disinflationary “fifthening” now in the 18-month pipeline, ETC offers a textbook blend of technical support and tightening supply. Still, investors must weigh macro-crypto volatility and the ongoing ESG debate before sizing positions. For those comfortable with Proof-of-Work dynamics and a multi-year horizon, dollar-cost-averaging in this range appears tactically sound—provided risk controls stay front-and-centre.