Ethereum Classic (ETC) Price Prediction

Deep Dive

1. Olympia Upgrade & Protocol Funding (Bullish Impact)

Overview:
The Olympia Upgrade, targeting late 2026, introduces EIP-1559-style fee burns (80% to a decentralized treasury) and on-chain DAO governance. This mirrors Ethereum’s deflationary mechanics, with ETC’s circulating supply reduced by burning base fees.

What this means:
- Supply squeeze potential: If adoption grows, the burn mechanism could offset ETC’s capped supply (210.7M max), creating deflationary pressure.
- Governance credibility: DAO-driven funding proposals may attract developers, addressing ETC’s historical ecosystem stagnation.

2. Tether’s USDT Delisting (Bearish Impact)

Overview:
Tether ceased USDT support on ETC in August 2025, part of a broader blockchain consolidation. ETC accounted for <1% of USDT’s $108B+ supply, but the move risks fragmenting liquidity.

What this means:
- Liquidity drain: Traders and DeFi apps may migrate to chains with deeper stablecoin pools, increasing ETC’s bid-ask spreads.
- Network utility test: ETC’s ability to retain developers without USDT hinges on organic demand for its PoW smart contracts.

3. Security Risks vs. Mining Momentum (Mixed Impact)

Overview:
ETC suffered three 51% attacks in 2020, but its hashrate has since stabilized near 3 TH/s (CoinMetrics). Meanwhile, Ethereum’s PoS shift has redirected GPU miners to ETC, with mining revenue up 13% YoY.

What this means:
- Security perception: Persistent “attack-prone” stigma could deter institutional capital despite improved defenses.
- Miner loyalty: ETC’s PoW ethos may benefit from Ethereum’s abandoned mining community, but energy costs remain a regulatory wildcard.

Conclusion

ETC’s path hinges on executing Olympia’s supply cuts while mitigating liquidity risks post-Tether. The 2026 upgrade could reposition it as a governance-forward PoW chain, but failure to attract stablecoin alternatives or deflect regulatory scrutiny on energy use may cap upside.

Key question: Will ETC’s DAO effectively deploy its treasury to onboard developers and protocols, or will the chain remain overshadowed by Ethereum’s L2 ecosystem?