Should You Buy Ethereum Classic in 2025?

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At HelloSafe, our expert has been closely monitoring the evolution of Ethereum Classic cryptocurrency for over three years. Every month, hundreds of thousands of users in India rely on us to analyze market trends and identify the best investment opportunities. Our analyses are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. In line with our ethical charter, HelloSafe has never purchased Ethereum Classic nor received any compensation from entities associated with its ecosystem.

Ethereum Classic at a Glance

How much does 1 Ethereum Classic cost?

The price of Ethereum Classic is up this week. As of now, Ethereum Classic trades at ₹1,423, reflecting a 24-hour gain of +2.76% and continued positive momentum over the past seven days. Its market capitalization stands at approximately ₹216.3 billion, with an average three-month daily trading volume of around ₹6.98 billion. Ranked #38 by market value, there are 152.22 million ETC tokens in circulation, representing about 0.12% of the entire crypto market. Given recent upgrades and ongoing volatility, Ethereum Classic continues to attract interest from investors looking for both risk and growth potential.

Our full review of the cryptocurrency Ethereum Classic

Have you noticed how Ethereum Classic’s trajectory has evolved over the last three years, particularly in light of its robust May 2025 performance and pivotal protocol upgrade? By rigorously analyzing Ethereum Classic through the lens of on-chain indicators, technical signals, market data, and a competitive environment—synthesized via our proprietary algorithms—we have distilled actionable insights for discerning investors. So, why could Ethereum Classic emerge once again in 2025 as a strategic entry point into the programmable Proof-of-Work smart contract ecosystem?

Recent Performance and Market Backdrop

Price Evolution and Context

Ethereum Classic (ETC) has exhibited remarkable resilience and renewed momentum in Q2 2025. As of June 7, 2025, ETC trades at $17.06, representing a 23.84% rally in May alone and a rise from its consolidation range near $13 at the year’s outset. This recent surge correlates directly with ecosystem upgrades and robust trading volumes, culminating in a $83.6 million 24-hour turnover. While ETC is currently still 90% below its all-time high of $176.16 (recorded May 6, 2021), it remains up by an outstanding 3,672% from its all-time low—evidence of enduring investor interest and latent upside.

Key drivers behind this recent upswing include the successful deployment of the Olympia Upgrade, evidenced by a pronounced increase in both trading activity and positive sentiment. Strong weekly momentum and technical signals hint at a shift in market structure, as ETC consolidates just beneath the pivotal $19.32 resistance—a breakout above this threshold could confirm a new bullish leg.

Positive Events Strengthening the Thesis

• Olympia Upgrade (May 2025): Introduction of EIP-1559’s deflationary fee burn, formal DAO governance, and a treasury system.
• Volume Surge: Substantial increase in trading volumes on top exchanges (Binance, Coinbase, OKEx, HTX), indicating broad-based market traction.
• Institutional Exposure: Continued support via the Grayscale Ethereum Classic Trust, facilitating institutional entry.

Macro and Sector Tailwinds

• Renewed retail and institutional inflows post-regulatory clarity.
• Increasing on-chain activity on PoW networks amid renewed debates about decentralization and security.
• An expanding DeFi landscape actively exploring multi-chain deployments, with ETC positioned for “Ethereum heritage” value-seeking capital.

Technical Analysis

Core Crypto Indicators

• RSI (14-day): 38.43 (neutral); ETC is not overbought, suggesting capacity for further upside.
• MACD: Entering a convergence zone; bullish cross possible if resistance at $19.32 is breached.
• Moving Averages: Price currently under key moving averages (e.g., 50-day, 200-day), but the downtrend has abated—breakout above these levels could unleash a new uptrend cycle.

Key Support and Resistance Levels

• Immediate Support: $15.89 (recently validated; strong accumulation interest).
• Major Resistance: $19.32, followed by the $22–23 zone should momentum persist.
• Breakout Signal: ETC has broken the ceiling of a falling trend, reinforcing the prospect of a slower decline and setup for a structural reversal.

Momentum and Structure

• Price action is compressing into a narrower band, indicating the possibility of a volatility breakout.
• The 24-hour +2.76% shift aligns with broader risk-on sentiment across crypto sectors.
• Structure now favors short-term reaccumulation, a pattern historically preceding sharp advances in ETC’s market cycles.

Fundamental Analysis

Adoption, Ecosystem, and Strategic Positioning

• Ecosystem Growth: Post-Olympia, development has quickened: emerging DeFi apps, renewed community grants, and enhanced programmable features.
• Partnerships: Bridges to major DeFi services and multichain NFT initiatives are fostering “Ethereum-compatible” expansion on Classic.
• Community and Governance: DAO-based governance invites decentralized proposal, funding, and community-driven protocol evolution—a differentiator among large-cap Layer 1s.

Valuation Attractiveness

• Market Cap: At $2.59 billion, ETC remains undervalued relative to its historic highs and to comparable Layer 1 peers when factoring in security and scarcity.
• Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV): Capped supply at 210.7 million ETC enhances medium- to long-term scarcity premium, particularly as burning mechanisms reduce effective issuance.
• TVL: Although smaller than major Layer 1s, ETC’s DeFi TVL is registering incremental quarterly growth post-upgrade, validating expanding use-cases.

Structural Strengths

• Proof-of-Work Security: ETC is now the only top-tier programmable smart contract network maintaining PoW after Ethereum’s Merge, drawing “security maxis” and miners seeking alternative revenue streams.
• DAO and Treasury: Enhanced protocol funding and governance create an institutional-grade sustainability profile.
• Immutable “Code is Law” Ethos: Persistence on this founding principle attracts projects needing true censorship resistance and backward compatibility.

Volume, Liquidity, and Dominance

• Liquidity: Deep order books and large exchange presence imply minimal slippage for serious capital allocations.
• Volume: $83.6 million in daily volume, punchy for a top-40 crypto, reflecting active price discovery and strong base liquidity.
• Dominance: ETC’s unique PoW positioning post-Ethereum Merge places it among the most secure programmable chains by cumulative mining power.

Catalysts and Positive Outlook

• Deflationary Upgrade: Implementation of EIP-1559-style fee burn permanently reduces circulating supply, intensifying future scarcity as network use scales.
• DeFi and NFT Growth: Cross-chain apps and NFT protocols now onboarding to ETC, extending its composability.
• Regulatory Clarity and Institutional Flows: With PoW assets increasingly recognized for security and predictability, new institutional products (ETCG, listed options) solidify ETC’s blue-chip appeal.
• Block Reward Reductions: Scheduled mining reward decreases serve as predictable tightening events, supportive of price at cyclical lows.

Key Development and Governance Enhancements

• Multiple Full Node Implementations: Network robustness and resilience supported by client diversity.
• Active ETC Cooperative: Ensures continued innovation funding, R&D, and third-party partnerships.

Investment Strategies across Horizons

Short-term (weeks to months)

• Entering or increasing exposure on technical pullbacks toward the $15.89–$16 band could capture upside ahead of anticipated volatility breakouts and ecosystem headlines.
• Monitoring for breakouts above $19.32 resistance is crucial: A conclusive close above this threshold could signal a momentum-led rally toward the $22–23 zone.

Medium-term (quarters)

• Accumulating ahead of key protocol milestones (e.g., next reward reductions, DeFi expansions) positions one for potential “buy-the-rumor” moves.
• Adoption surges and further DAO governance matures can serve as springboards for repricing of ETC toward its consensus targets ($22.01 and beyond).

Long-term (multi-year)

• Valuation at -90% from all-time highs, combined with a capped monetary policy, offers asymmetric return potential for conviction holders.
• Should EIP-1559-style burning gain traction and institutional DeFi/NFT adoption accelerate, ETC’s scarcity mechanics could underpin sustained price appreciation through 2026–2030.

Price Projections Table

Is Now the Right Time to Consider Ethereum Classic?

Key Strengths to Summarize:

• Olympia Upgrade catalyzes both supply reduction and decentralized governance, igniting new ecosystem momentum.
• Compelling technical structure as ETC stabilizes above major supports, with a breakout above $19.32 poised to unleash bullish continuation.
• Structural PoW security, active institutional presence, and a capped monetary policy echo the core tenets valued by both miners and risk-conscious capital.
• Valuation remains attractive versus historic highs and comparable Layer 1s, especially given upgraded fundamentals and rapid ecosystem growth.
• Multiple growth catalysts on the medium/long view: DeFi extension, DAO and treasury governance, and institutional product expansions.

Optimistic Outlook and Strategic Perspective:

Taken together, these factors provide the foundation for an optimistic ETC trajectory—an asset that seems to offer an excellent opportunity for investors searching for both innovation and historic resilience in a rapidly evolving smart contract landscape. The alignment of technical, fundamental, and ecosystem-level strengths makes a strong case for renewed interest, especially as major protocol upgrades and reward reductions approach. The fundamentals justify a renewed strategic focus on Ethereum Classic, as it may well be primed for a new constructive price cycle in the broader Web3 environment.

Ethereum Classic remains a high-volatility digital asset that offers robust opportunities for dynamic investment, tempered by prudent risk management. The recent acceleration in prices underscores ETC’s capacity for sharp, sustained rallies, while ongoing macro developments reinforce the need to remain discerning. Critical technical levels to watch are $15.89 as immediate support and $19.32 as major resistance; the upcoming protocol updates in late 2025 could be pivotal for future price action. For those seeking secure, smart contract-enabled exposure within a deflationary PoW regime, Ethereum Classic’s current landscape appears distinctly favorable.

How to buy Ethereum Classic?

It is simple and secure to buy Ethereum Classic (ETC) online through a regulated crypto platform. As an investor in India, you have two main routes: you can make a direct purchase and actually hold Ethereum Classic in your own wallet (known as "spot" buying), or you can trade ETC via CFDs (Contracts for Difference) that let you speculate on price movements, with or without leverage, but without owning the underlying coin. Each approach suits different risk profiles and objectives. You will find a detailed comparison of leading platforms further down on this page to help you take the next step confidently.

Spot Purchase (Direct Buy)

Spot buying means you purchase real Ethereum Classic coins, which you own and can transfer to your personal crypto wallet for safekeeping. On Indian or global exchanges, you typically pay a fixed transaction fee—often between ₹75 and ₹500, or a small percentage, per trade.

Important example

For example:
If ETC is trading at $17.06 (about ₹1,420 per coin, exchange rates may vary), a ₹90,000 investment (~$1,070, slightly above €1,000 equivalent) allows you to acquire around 63 ETC, after estimating a ₹300 fee for the transaction.

Potential gain

✔️ Gain scenario:
If the price of ETC rises by 10%, your holding’s value increases to ₹99,000.
Result: gross gain of ₹9,000, or +10% on your investment (fees not included in this calculation).

Trading via CFD

CFD (Contract for Difference) trading on Ethereum Classic allows you to speculate on price changes without owning the actual coins. You choose your position (long or short), often with access to leverage—but bear in mind the risks as well as the rewards. CFD platforms usually charge you through the spread (difference between buy and sell price), plus a daily "overnight" financing fee if you hold leveraged positions open beyond market close.

Example

Example:
You open a ₹90,000 position on an ETC CFD with 5x leverage, so your market exposure is ₹450,000.
If ETC’s price climbs by 8%, your position’s value rises 8% × 5 = 40%.
Result: A gross gain of ₹36,000 on your initial ₹90,000 (excluding spreads and overnight fees).

Final Guidance

Before investing, always compare the fees and terms of each platform—costs and conditions often vary and can impact your returns. Your ideal method depends on your goals, risk tolerance, and experience level. For a clear, up-to-date comparison of the best platforms to buy or trade Ethereum Classic in India, simply refer to the comparator further down this page.

Our 7 tips for buying Ethereum Classic

The latest news on Ethereum Classic

Ethereum Classic’s Olympia upgrade in May 2025 launched a fee-burning mechanism and formal DAO governance. The Olympia upgrade has been the most important recent development, directly introducing EIP-1559-like fee burning, which reduces the circulating supply and creates deflationary pressure on ETC. This mechanism aligns Ethereum Classic with modern tokenomics and has been credited as the main catalyst behind the +23.84% price gain observed in May 2025, bolstering investor confidence and demonstrating a strong technical response. The addition of DAO governance and a new treasury system further heightens decentralized decision-making and network development efficiency, creating a robust foundation for sustainable growth.

Strong positive price action has been observed, with ETC gaining momentum in the past week and month. Over the past 7 days, Ethereum Classic has recorded a +2.76% 24-hour price increase and maintained a trading range of $16–18. The monthly performance in May 2025 showed an impressive +23.84% gain, reflective of renewed market optimism following the Olympia upgrade. With technical signals now indicating breakout potential around the $19.65 resistance level and consensus analyst targets at $22.01—a potential 30% upside—market sentiment is shifting constructively, offering opportunities for investors eyeing mid-term appreciation.

Ethereum Classic remains accessible to Indian investors via major global exchanges and is supported by top-tier crypto wallets. Indians can access ETC trading on leading platforms including Binance, Coinbase, OKEx, and HTX, with INR pairs and conversion available through local gateways on some exchanges or via peer-to-peer solutions. Wallet compatibility with providers like Binance, Trust Wallet, Ledger, and Trezor ensures secure storage options for retail and institutional participants within India. The presence of institutional products, such as the Grayscale Ethereum Classic Trust (ETCG), also adds legitimacy and provides exposure channels for more sophisticated regional investors.

The ongoing expansion of Ethereum Classic’s DeFi ecosystem opens opportunities for local developers and entrepreneurs in India. Ethereum Classic’s EVM compatibility allows seamless launch of smart contract applications, which is especially relevant for the growing Indian blockchain developer community. The network’s decentralization ethos and lower transaction fees, post-Olympia, create favourable conditions for building DeFi, NFT, and decentralized services. This expanding ecosystem could accelerate local adoption and innovation, contributing positively to India’s broader blockchain industry momentum.

ETC’s proof-of-work security and fixed capped supply reinforce its appeal as “digital gold” amidst India’s evolving crypto regulation. With Indian regulators actively deliberating on the status of cryptocurrencies, Ethereum Classic’s fixed supply (210.7 million ETC) and robust, censorship-resistant PoW consensus offer rare transparency and predictability valued in uncertain environments. This scarcity-driven model, now complemented by deflationary pressures from burned fees, positions ETC as a long-term store of value on par with digital commodities—an attractive proposition for Indian investors seeking alternative hedges in the digital asset space.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.