ETH dips slightly by 0.14% in 15 minutes: technical resistance levels suppressing and short-term profit-taking dominating the correction
On February 18, 2026, from 15:30 to 15:45 (UTC), ETH experienced a slight pullback within the 15-minute window, with a candle return of -0.14%. The price fluctuated between $1,954.18 and $2,037.16. Overall market activity was active, with increased short-term volatility attracting attention. Liquidity was ample, and the volume-to-market cap ratio reached 8.36%.
The main drivers of this movement were technical resistance and short-term profit-taking by bulls. ETH faced resistance in the $2,030–2,040 range, failing to break through this key resistance level, prompting some bulls to take profits and causing a short-term decline. Additionally, there was no significant outflow of spot funds within the 15-minute window, mainly reflecting technical adjustments and active sell orders.
Furthermore, derivatives markets dominated the volatility, with derivatives trading volume accounting for up to 60% of total volume throughout the day. Leverage levels remained neutral, with no signs of large-scale liquidations or extreme speculation, indicating more cautious capital behavior. Institutional funds showed signs of structural repositioning, with the ETH/BTC ratio strengthening and spot prices under pressure. Risk appetite during Asian trading hours declined further, increasing short-term pressure. The impact of macro risk events was evident, with increased correlation to the US stock market. Some safe-haven funds flowed into ETH, but overall market risk appetite has cooled, and DeFi ecosystems and on-chain fund flows remained stable.
Caution is advised regarding the short-term risk transmission from these fluctuations. Implied volatility for ETH remains high in the short term. The key resistance at $2,030–2,040 and support at $1,950–1,960 need to be monitored for effectiveness. If ETH cannot regain above $2,000 within 48–72 hours, the probability of further decline increases. It is recommended to closely track on-chain fund movements and macro news to timely grasp market structural changes and stay updated on real-time market developments.
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