ETC Price Depth Analysis: Latest Developments and Future Outlook for February 2026

As February 2026 arrives, the cryptocurrency market continues to fluctuate. As a well-established blockchain asset that has garnered significant attention in the market, Ethereum Classic (ETC) price trends have once again become a focal point for investors.

According to data from the Gate platform and several authoritative sources, as of February 2, ETC’s latest trading price is approximately $9.60, showing a slight decline within the day.

01 Current Market Snapshot

As of February 2, 2026, the core market data for Ethereum Classic (ETC) has become clear. Based on real-time data from Gate, ETC’s current price is about $9.60, down approximately 1.73% in the past 24 hours.

The day’s price fluctuation ranged from $9.22 to $9.71. This price level keeps ETC’s total market capitalization around $1.49 billion, ranking it within the top 50 among many cryptocurrencies.

Looking at its recent trajectory, ETC’s price has experienced a significant correction since mid-January. From a high of $13.28 on January 14, it has declined to the current level, with a retracement of over 20%.

02 Recent Performance and Market Review

Focusing on shorter timeframes, ETC’s performance over the past week and month provides a more detailed market outline. Compared to $11.29 a week ago (January 26), ETC has fallen nearly 14.96% over seven days.

Throughout January, ETC’s trend showed a pattern of rising and falling. Early in January, its price started around $12.50 and reached a monthly high of $13.28 on January 14, after which it entered a continuous downward channel.

Looking at a longer timeframe, over the past year, ETC faced more obvious challenges. Compared to $24.72 on February 2, 2025, its price has dropped about 61.17% over the year. This reflects the stage ETC is in within the overall market cycle and the competitive pressures it faces.

03 Historical Price Overview

Since its inception in 2016, Ethereum Classic’s price journey has been full of dramatic fluctuations. According to CoinLore’s statistics, ETC’s initial trading price in July 2016 was only $0.84. It then experienced its first major bull run in 2017, with an average price reaching $11.93 that year.

What truly brought ETC into the spotlight was the 2021 crypto asset boom. During that bull market, ETC hit a record high of $167.09 in May 2021. This price was over 17 times higher than the current level, demonstrating its explosive growth during the bull run.

The past decade’s annual performance reveals ETC’s high volatility. It achieved an astonishing return of over 1,886% in its best year, 2017, but suffered a deep retracement of -82.28% in 2018.

The table below summarizes key annual data since the 2021 bull market peak, clearly illustrating its market trajectory:

04 Core Drivers Affecting Price

ETC price fluctuations are not random but driven by multiple interconnected factors. First and foremost, the overall sentiment of the crypto market is the biggest macro backdrop. When the market enters a bull cycle, capital flows into the crypto space, and ETC, as one of the mainstream coins, often benefits from significant gains; conversely, in bear markets, it struggles to perform independently.

Secondly, technological development and network upgrades are key to influencing its intrinsic value. Any major upgrade aimed at improving ETC network performance, security, or scalability can act as a price catalyst. For example, increased community confidence in the technical roadmap often attracts more developers and users.

Furthermore, regulatory developments and macroeconomic conditions cannot be ignored. Changes in regulatory policies in major economies, along with macro indicators like interest rates and inflation, influence investor risk appetite and capital allocation decisions, indirectly impacting ETC and other assets’ prices.

05 Market Outlook and Future Prospects

Regarding ETC’s future price, there are differing opinions and analytical perspectives. Some models based on historical data and market sentiment provide long-term forecasts. For example, some believe that by 2030, ETC’s average price could reach around $105.59.

More aggressive predictions even suggest that by 2027, ETC might challenge a new high of $1,163.57. However, these forecasts are highly uncertain and closely tied to the actual development of the ETC network, adoption rates, and the overall health of the crypto market.

For ordinary investors, understanding the risks and opportunities implied by ETC’s current price of approximately $9.60 on mainstream trading platforms like Gate is crucial. It is important that any investment decision is based on thorough research and personal risk tolerance.

06 How to Trade ETC on Gate

For investors looking to participate in the ETC market, Gate offers a secure and efficient trading environment. On the Gate platform, users can conveniently purchase ETC using various payment methods and enjoy highly competitive trading fees.

Gate supports ETC trading pairs with other cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, providing users with flexible trading strategies. The platform is equipped with professional chart analysis tools and real-time market data to help investors make informed trading decisions.

Gate always prioritizes security, employing multi-layer encryption and cold storage technology to protect user assets. Additionally, the platform offers 24-hour customer service to ensure users can receive support promptly if any issues arise during trading.

Whether investors are focused on short-term price fluctuations of ETC or optimistic about its long-term value as the “original Ethereum,” Gate is committed to providing a trustworthy trading venue.

Future Outlook

As of press time, Ethereum Classic’s daily chart hovers around $9.60, with a 24-hour trading volume approaching $98 million. Its price curve is testing the support zone formed over the past month, while on the weekly chart, a trend line extending from the end of last year is faintly visible.

ETC’s future movement will largely depend on whether it can find a unique narrative in the next market cycle, just as it did in 2021 with stories of “store of value” and “miner migration” that drove it to new highs. This time, it may need to strike a delicate balance between innovation and persistence.