As Ethereum (ETH) trades just below the $3,000 level, an artificial intelligence model is projecting that the asset is likely to surpass this threshold on the first day of the new year.
Notably, as of press time, ETH was trading at $2,957, having plunged more than 3% over the past 24 hours. On a weekly basis, however, the asset is up 0.28%.
ETH price prediction
Regarding the price outlook, Finbold turned to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which projected that the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization is likely to open 2026 trading near $3,200, with a wide but balanced range reflecting both supportive fundamentals and persistent macroeconomic and technical risks.
According to the model, the most probable outcome is a base-case scenario in which Ethereum trades between $3,000 and $3,300 on January 1, 2026. This outlook assumes range-bound trading into late December 2025, continued volatility without a systemic breakdown, and steady demand emerging near key support levels.
Under these conditions, the market is expected to transition into a mild early-2026 uptrend, keeping prices broadly aligned with current structural levels and algorithmic forecasts.
ChatGPT’s analysis also outlined a bullish scenario that places Ethereum closer to the $4,000 mark by the start of 2026. This outcome is tied to sustained institutional and spot ETF inflows, rising activity across layer-2 networks and decentralized finance, and a decisive break above resistance in the $3,300 to $3,500 zone.
A more constructive macro environment could further amplify momentum, allowing prices to extend toward the $3,800 to $4,200 range, although the model assigns a lower probability to this scenario.
ETH bearish price outlook
On the downside, the AI model flagged a bearish path in which Ethereum could retreat toward the $2,500 area. This scenario is linked to a broader macroeconomic downturn, prolonged risk-off sentiment, continued outflows from crypto investment products, or regulatory and liquidity pressures that undermine key technical supports. In such a case, prices could slide into a $2,200 to $2,700 range by early 2026.
Balancing these outcomes, ChatGPT’s central forecast places Ethereum at approximately $3,200 on January 1, 2026, with a tolerance band of about $500 on either side.
The model noted that this range reflects the tension between longer-term bullish drivers such as institutional participation, staking incentives, and ongoing network development, and shorter-term headwinds tied to macro uncertainty and market structure.
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