Ethereum outpaces bitcoin as institutional interest returns

Ether outpaces bitcoin: 24h +7.4% vs +3% as institutions return.

The second-largest cryptocurrency is climbing faster than bitcoin: over the past day, bitcoin rose 3% and ether 7.4%.

On a weekly basis, Ethereum is also ahead: the asset is up 14.1% versus bitcoin’s 9.6%.

At the time of writing, bitcoin trades at $73,546 and Ethereum at $2,253.

Erik Voorhees buys $56.5m of Ethereum

Lookonchain analysts, citing Arkham, said the former CEO of crypto exchange ShapeShift, Erik Voorhees, acquired 24,968 ETH worth $56.5m.

Erik Voorhees(@ErikVoorhees), an early #Bitcoin supporter and founder of ShapeShift, is buying ETH like crazy after a one-year break!

He spent 49.08M $USDT to buy 23,393 $ETH at $2,098 through 2 wallets.

He still holds 35.25M $USDT and may buy more $ETH.… pic.twitter.com/18ifLc8Ghe

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) March 16, 2026

He used two crypto wallets to buy the coins. A year ago, Voorhees sold 12,886 ETH at $3,324. One of his addresses still holds 4.44m USDT and 8.64m AETHUSDT, whereas on the second all stablecoins were fully converted into Ethereum.

Voorhees’s renewed interest in the asset chimes with broader institutional sentiment. The numbers bear this out: last week, net inflows into spot ETFs based on the asset reached $160.8m.

Lookonchain experts also recorded another large on-chain transaction: Intuition Protocol CEO Billy Luedtke acquired 7,769 ETH.

Early Ethereum builder billΞ.eth(@0xbilly) is also buying $ETH!

Wallet 0xf792, linked to @0xbilly, spent $17.46M to buy 7,769 $ETH at an average price of $2,248 in the past 2 hours.https://t.co/bo2M5mXX6N pic.twitter.com/sxHol6L1Ga

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) March 16, 2026

Buterin proposes simplifying Ethereum node setup

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin proposed merging the software that connects nodes to the Beacon Chain and the execution layer into a single codebase. The initiative is intended to make node setup easier.

We should be open to revisiting whole beacon/execution client separation thing.

Running two daemons and getting them to talk to each other is far more difficult than running one daemon.

Our goal is to make the self-sovereign way of using ethereum have good UX. In many cases…

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) March 15, 2026

Validators now use two separate programs. Coordinating and configuring them creates a high technical barrier. Because of these hurdles, ordinary users forgo running their own infrastructure and turn to third-party services.

Buterin noted that running a node has become a “daunting” task reserved for technical specialists.

“We must change this. Working with one’s own Ethereum infrastructure should become a basic right for everyone. Nodes should be easy to run,” he wrote.

The Ethereum creator added that even with suitable hardware and skills, users lack the time to configure the system. He called excuses about high hardware and expertise requirements unacceptable.

In March, CryptoQuant analysts did not rule out the second-largest cryptocurrency falling to $1,500 amid an “adoption paradox”.