Ethereum closed July up roughly 20%, rebounding from around $1,500 to a local peak near $1,980 and ending the month at about $1,900. The move outpaced Bitcoin's 9% monthly gain and broke a streak of six consecutive monthly declines that followed the asset's all-time high in August 2025.
The July rebound
The rally started from June's low, when ETH dropped 21.7% — its worst month since the 2022 bear market. By mid-July, buying pressure pushed prices back above $1,800, and the momentum carried through to the final week. The $1,980 peak was the highest Ethereum had traded since early May.
The timing isn't great for anyone hoping for a smooth recovery. August has a reputation as a 'controversial' month for Ethereum, and the historical record backs that up.
A brutal six-month stretch
Before July's green candle, Ethereum had posted red monthly closes for six straight months after its August 2025 all-time high. The worst drops came in November 2025 (-22.38%), January 2026 (-17.52%), and February 2026 (-19.81%). Minor relief rallies in March and April each delivered gains of about 7%, but May erased those with an 11% drop, and June's 21.7% plunge pushed ETH to its lowest point of the year.
That six-month losing streak was the longest since the 2018-2019 bear market.
What August has in store
Since 2016, August has been a mixed bag for Ethereum. Six of the twelve Augusts have been in the red. The worst were 2018 (-35%), 2019 (-21.31%), and 2024 (-22.21%). On the positive side, August 2017 delivered a 93% surge, 2020 added 25.32%, 2021 gained 35.62%, and last year — August 2025 — saw double-digit gains and a new all-time high.
That split makes August unpredictable. The market is now watching whether the July momentum can carry through or if the month's bearish history reasserts itself. The $2,000 level is the immediate test — a break above it would be the first since early May.
