We love Ethereum, and we’re all eagerly awaiting the next surge in $ETH. However, ETH has recently struggled to break out.
Historically, major narratives like DeFi, NFTs, and GameFi drove explosive ETH rallies. So… what’s next?
In this blog, we explore why AI agents + DeFi could be Ethereum’s next big catalyst,reviving activity and driving long-term ETH demand.
The Current Struggles: Why ETH Needs a Boost
ETH’s price performance depends heavily on network activity.
But now, most DeFi activity has moved to Layer2 like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base. These L2s only settle periodically on Ethereum mainnet, meaning:
- Less fee income directly go to Ethereum
- Fewer ETH as gas burned, eroding the deflationary twinded
- Weaker price support
Without new use cases or compelling narratives, ETH risks devolving into a passive settlement layer that captures little of the value it secures.
The Endgame for Ethereum? On-Chain Data Speaks
According to DeFiLlama, Ethereum still dominates:
- TVL: $84.59B (≈ 60% of all chains)
- Protocols: Ethereum hosts the most, proving ecosystem strength
So the question isn’t whether Ethereum is important, it’s how to revive its growth narrative.
Institutional Capital Is Reshaping Ethereum Demand
Since July 2024, Ethereum spot ETFs have attracted strong inflows from large investors. According to cointelegraph, by late July 2025 the total net inflows had reached about $9.6 billion.
Since July 2024, Ethereum spot ETFs have attracted strong inflows from large investors. According to cointelegraph, by late July 2025 the total net inflows had reached about $9.6 billion.
At the center of this growth is BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA). Its holdings now exceed 3 million ETH, representing around 2.5% of Ethereum’s total circulating supply.
Meanwhile, corporate treasuries are also making bold moves. BitMine launched its Ethereum reserve strategy in early July 2025 and quickly emerged as the largest corporate ETH holder in the world. Within just 7 days, it acquired 300,657 ETH (over $1 billion).
(Top 10 entities holding Ether. Source: Strategic ETH Reserve)
However, early August also saw a record single-day outflow, reminding us that ETF and institutional demand is not always one-way. Long-term price support still depends on consistent, organic on-chain activity that drives gas usage and ETH burn.
Enter AI Agents: From Complex DeFi to Financial Copilot
DeFi is powerful but still complex for most users, and AI agents are here to change the game. Here’s what they can do:
- Yield autopilot
Scan protocols like Aave/Compound/Morpho, shift collateral, harvest/compound, and rebalance without user repeatedly sign the signatures. - Risk management
Monitor liquidation thresholds 24/7 and proactively deliver when volatility spikes. - Smart Asset Allocation
Optimize how your capital is allocated across strategies, protocols, and chains to improve risk-adjusted returns.
- Intent‑based strategy Execution
Easy to swap, bridge, and make DCA strategies across omnichain.
With the help of AI agents, brings the advantages like:
- Tighter markets, better execution
AI agents improve pricing efficiency and liquidity across AMMs by automating arbitrage and liquidity provision. This reduces slippage, tightens spreads, and enhances market depth, attracting more trading volume and raises the utility of Ethereum ecosystem.
- Smarter Strategies and Capital
Beyond trading, AI agents unlock smarter DeFi strategies, dynamically adjusting leverage, reallocating assets, and executing cross-chain yield optimizations. Users no longer feel lost in Ethereum’s vast and fragmented DeFi ecosystem. These improvements in capital efficiency draw more investors into DeFi over CeFi. As TVL grows, so does the demand for ETH as the primary asset for collateral, gas, and settlement.
- Guiding New Users to the Trusted Base Layer
AI agents lower the barrier to entry for DeFi and expand participation among both retail and institutional users. Newcomers, especially those managing large or sensitive capital, tend to choose ecosystems that are secure, reliable, and battle-tested to avoid risks such as hacks or protocol failures. With its long track record, continuous upgrades, and dominant market presence, Ethereum stands out as the most trusted base layer. The growing wave of institutional capital further reinforces Ethereum’s credibility and strengthens the positive feedback loop within its ecosystem.
AI agents solve the problem of how to find yield and put ETH to work effectively. AI + DeFi turns ETH from a passive investment into a productive asset – not just something you hold, but something you use to generate returns.
Conclusion: A Bullish Future for ETH?
Ethereum isn’t broken – it’s just between waves.
Now, ETFs are bringing billions of regulated capital onto the table. But capital without constant usage is just idle weight.
AI agents are the missing gear, turning ETH into a self-running engine: trading, yielding, rebalancing across omnichain.
ETFs bring the inflow. AI agents keep it flowing.
That combination could make Ethereum the AI-powered backbone of global finance.
SuperIntent: From DeFi to DeFAI Era
At SuperIntent, we’ve built for everyone.
From onboarding DeFi beginners with guided swaps to helping Web3 natives automate yield, designing gasless, omnichain strategies that actually run themselves.
We’ve seen what big narratives can do. We’ve lived through the surges and the quiet seasons, and we know one truth: those who position before the next wave don’t just ride it, they shape it.
DeFAI starts now.
Join SuperIntent and turn your intent into intelligent, AI-powered investing.
(1 min to know what is SuperIntent )
We reDeFine:
- DeFi with AI agents on call
- DeFi that understands your goals
This is the smarter way to invest.
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More to read
- SuperIntent Q2 Recap: Unlocking the Next Era of DeFi
- SuperIntent Makes DeFi Investing Feel Like Autopilot — A Real User Journey
- Cross-Chain Pioneer XY Finance Launches SuperIntent, the World’s First Omnichain AI Crypto Super App
About SuperIntent
SuperIntent is a Crypto AI super app that simplifies and personalizes onchain investing. Built on a multi-agent framework and intent technology, it helps users find alpha, manage risk, and grow assets with ease.
