Economy
Can AI Startups Predict Ethereum’s Price Rise? DeFi Trading Gets Smarter
Ethereum has emerged as the dominant platform for Decentralized Finance (DeFi). Unlike traditional finance controlled by central institutions, DeFi uses blockchain technology to create a peer-to-peer financial system.
Ethereum’s programmable capabilities allow developers to build innovative financial applications, such as lending platforms, decentralized exchanges (DEXs), and yield farming protocols.
This has promoted the growth of DeFi, with the total value locked (TVL) in DeFi applications reaching record highs in recent years.
The year 2024 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for Ethereum. Experts predict a huge rise in Ethereum’s network activity and revenue, potentially doubling to $5 billion.
This bullish sentiment is further bolstered by the highly anticipated EIP-4844 upgrade, which aims to drastically reduce transaction costs and make the network more accessible to mainstream users.
While Ethereum forms the technological foundation, a new wave of innovation is surging in the DeFi space – AI startups. These young companies are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to develop solutions that can transform DeFi trading.
With Ethereum’s price and network poised for significant growth, can AI startups predict Ethereum’s price rise and contribute to a smarter DeFi trading industry? Read on to learn!
Ethereum’s Revenue Surge and EIP-4844
Ethereum’s future appears bright, with analysts at Bitwise Asset Management predicting a staggering doubling of its revenue to $5 billion in 2024. This impressive growth projection reflects the increasing adoption and usage of DeFi applications built on the Ethereum network.
As DeFi protocols continue to attract users, the fees generated from transactions on the Ethereum blockchain will naturally rise.
A significant catalyst for this growth is the upcoming EIP-4844 upgrade, expected to be implemented later in 2024. This much-anticipated upgrade aims to address one of Ethereum’s biggest challenges – high transaction fees (gas fees).
EIP-4844 introduces a new transaction type called “blob-carrying transactions,” which store less critical data off-chain, significantly reducing the cost of transactions on the Ethereum network.
According to estimates, they range from 5-10x cheaper to 40-100x cheaper depending on the rollup type, which is paving the way for wider user adoption and further DeFi innovation.
DeFi’s Obstacles
Despite its rapid growth, DeFi still faces hurdles that hinder mainstream adoption. One of the biggest roadblocks is the issue of high transaction fees. On the Ethereum network, gas fees can fluctuate significantly depending on network congestion.
These fees can be a major deterrent for casual users and smaller transactions, making DeFi seem inaccessible and expensive.
Another challenge is the complexity of DeFi applications. Using DeFi platforms often requires a certain level of technical knowledge and familiarity with cryptocurrency concepts.
The user interfaces of many DeFi protocols can be intimidating for newcomers, hindering wider participation in the DeFi ecosystem.
The Position Of AI In DeFi Trading
The burgeoning field of AI startups is rapidly transforming the industry of DeFi trading. These innovative companies are developing sophisticated AI-powered solutions that address key challenges and open new possibilities for participants in the DeFi ecosystem.
Price Prediction Models
One of the most intriguing applications of AI in DeFi is the development of price-prediction models. These models leverage machine learning algorithms to analyze vast amounts of historical market data, including price movements, trading volumes, and on-chain activity.
AI models attempt to forecast future price movements for assets like Ethereum by identifying patterns and trends within this data.
While not foolproof, AI-powered price predictions can be a valuable tool for DeFi traders by providing insights and potentially mitigating risk.
For instance, a price prediction model might indicate a potential surge in Ethereum’s price, prompting a trader to buy before the price increase occurs.
Automated Trading Strategies
Human emotions can often cloud judgment and lead to irrational trading decisions. AI-powered automated trading strategies aim to address this by removing human bias from the equation.
These strategies are pre-programmed sets of rules that guide trading activities based on specific market conditions.
For example, an automated trading strategy could be configured to buy Ethereum if the price falls below a certain threshold or sell it if it reaches a pre-defined profit target.
This approach allows traders to automate repetitive tasks and potentially improve their trading performance by adhering to a disciplined strategy.
Sentiment Analysis
Social media and news outlets are a constant stream of information that can influence market sentiment. AI startups are developing tools that utilize sentiment analysis to gauge the overall market mood towards Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies.
These tools analyze text data from social media posts, news articles, and online forums to identify positive, negative, or neutral sentiment toward Ethereum.
By understanding the prevailing market sentiment, traders can make more informed decisions about their DeFi investments.
The Impact On DeFi Trading
AI-powered trading offers a multitude of benefits for DeFi users, fundamentally transforming the trading experience. Firstly, AI automates repetitive tasks such as order execution and market monitoring, freeing up valuable time for users to focus on strategic analysis and portfolio management.
This increased efficiency allows traders to react more quickly to market opportunities and make informed decisions.
Secondly, AI-powered risk management tools can help users mitigate risk by automatically implementing stop-loss orders and other safeguards. This data-driven approach helps to remove emotional biases from trading decisions, potentially leading to more disciplined and profitable outcomes.
Finally, AI has the potential to democratize DeFi trading by making it more accessible to new users. User-friendly interfaces and automated strategies can simplify the complexities of DeFi, attracting those with less technical knowledge and fostering wider participation in the DeFi ecosystem.
Can AI Predict Ethereum’s Price Rise?
AI-based price prediction models hold immense potential, but it’s important to acknowledge their limitations. The cryptocurrency market remains inherently volatile, susceptible to unforeseen events and external factors that can disrupt even the most sophisticated AI models.
Additionally, AI predictions themselves can influence market behavior, potentially creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Therefore, AI should be viewed as a valuable tool for informed decision-making, not a guaranteed crystal ball for predicting Ethereum’s future price movements.
Wrapping Up
As Ethereum’s network activity and revenue surge, AI startups emerge as a powerful force in DeFi trading. These companies are developing innovative solutions like bitcoin pro air that utilize AI to predict price movements, automate trading strategies, and analyze market sentiment.
This confluence of AI and DeFi holds immense promise for the future. AI can facilitate DeFi trading, reduce risks associated with emotional decision-making, and make the DeFi ecosystem more accessible to a broader range of users.
As AI technology continues to evolve and integrate further with DeFi, we can expect even more groundbreaking advancements that will reshape the landscape of decentralized finance.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the Nigerian private sector in July 2026 contracted to 52.5 points from 53.4 points in June 2026, a statement made available to Business Post has shown.
This occurred despite the business environment sustaining its growth last month, with an increase in new orders experienced, as inflationary pressures softened, and output and employment modestly rising.
The Head of Equity Research West Africa at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Muyiwa Oni, said the PMI indicated that the private sector recorded its slowest since March 2026, as businesses also increased their input purchasing activity to keep up with current demand requirements and prepare for future workloads.
“Nigerian businesses reported improved customer demand in July while better pricing and new product launches also helped them to capture new orders arising from the increase in demand. These factors helped to keep the private sector activity in an expansionary territory, although this moderated when compared to June,” he was quoted as saying.
It was stated that while input costs increased at their slowest pace in five months, panellists reported higher costs for fuel and raw materials. Selling prices also softened in line with the picture for input costs in July.
Headline inflation eased slightly to 15.91 per cent y/y in June from 15.93 per cent y/y in May, snapping three consecutive months of price increases.
Although July inflation is likely to be higher m/m, it is expected to print lower, likely at 15.72 per cent y/y, primarily driven by favourable base effects from the corresponding period of last year, because there are no expectations of the magnitude of m/m inflation witnessed in July 2025 (1.99 per cent) to materialise this year.
“We retain our 2026 growth forecasts at 4.1 per cent as we see the oil sector growing by 3.45 per cent y/y in 2026, from 8.50 per cent y/y in 2025, while the non-oil sector is likely to grow by 4.11 per cent y/y, from 3.71 per cent y/y in 2025.
“The risks to our outlook include country-wide insecurity which may constrain food production, exchange rate pressures resurfacing, extreme-weather related conditions and higher fertiliser prices impacting crop yield, and a volatile global environment which may affect sentiment and constrain capital flows,” Mr Oni noted.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Sahara Upstream, a Nigeria-focused crude producer, has deployed a new 380,000-barrel tanker to boost exports from the OML 18 block as part of a wider push by domestic operators to invest in infrastructure and lift output and exports for Africa’s biggest oil producer.
The MT D Adesanya, which can hold more than 62,000 cubic metres of crude, will operate alongside the MT D Bayero, receiving crude from shuttle vessels at Bonny Anchorage, one of Nigeria’s main crude export hubs, before transferring it to the FSO Cawthorne storage facility.
Sahara said the tanker would help cut turnaround times, currently about 30 to 48 hours, and support a planned 50 per cent increase in exports from the block’s current level of about 950,000 barrels per month.
The block currently produces about 36,000 barrels per day, according to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), with Sahara targeting output of 60,000 barrels per day.
OML 18 is one of the Niger Delta’s oldest producing assets. It began production in 1970 and contains an estimated 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserves.
Shell, Total and Eni sold their combined interests to Eroton in 2015 as part of a broader shift toward domestic ownership in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
This development comes as Sahara Upstream is deepening its exploration and production footprint through Asharami Energy Limited (AEL), its upstream E&P business, which says it is targeting 350,000 barrels of oil per day by 2030 through its subsidiary, Enageed Resources Limited (ERL).
The growth target comes as AEL also marks a major safety milestone, achieving 6 million Lost Time Injury (LTI)-free man-hours in its OML-148 operations — reinforcing the company’s commitment to operational excellence and safety leadership.
According to Asharami Energy, the milestone reflects its ability to execute complex operations safely, in line with Sahara’s Beyond XXX vision, which builds on the group’s 30-year legacy of responsible enterprise while marking its next chapter of impact, innovation, and sustainable growth.
The developments position Sahara Upstream and its subsidiaries among the domestic operators driving increased investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure, as the group works to scale up production and exports for Africa’s biggest oil producer.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the leading energy firms in Nigeria, Aradel Holdings Plc, has expressed its desire to optimise its enlarged portfolio and improve operational efficiency in the second half of 2026.
The company is planning to build on the success it recorded in the first half of the year, where it grew its revenue by 577 per cent to N2.5 trillion from N368.1 billion in H1 2025.
The significant rise in earnings was driven by higher production volumes together with stronger realised crude oil and gas prices, with the average at $90.4/bbl and $2.08/mmscf, respectively.
In the period under review, the Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) increased by 688 per cent to N1.4 trillion from N176.4 billion in the corresponding period of last year, while the operating profit surged by 789 per cent to N1.1 trillion from N118.6 billion due to higher revenue and crude handling income at N149.8 billion, partly offset by underlift cost and general and administrative costs.
The net cash generated from operations was N975.6 billion between January and June 2026 versus N140.8 billion in the same period of 2025, reflecting the cash generation of the enlarged organisation.
The net debt contracted by 70 per cent on a year-to-date basis to N46.5 billion from N475.1 billion as of December 31, 2025.
Aradel, in the period under consideration, improved its post-tax profit by 30 per cent to N191.0 billion from N146.4 billion, a development that impressed its chief executive, Mr Adegbite Falade, who said, “A firmer price environment supported performance, generating net cash from operating activities of N975.6 billion and a closing cash balance of N1.7 trillion.”
“Our enlarged portfolio provides more opportunities to generate stronger cash flow and returns for shareholders and unlocking that potential is our main focus.
“We reaffirm our full year production guidance of 110 – 140 kboepd and remain committed to operating responsibly in a changing energy landscape and to delivering lasting value for our stakeholders,” he stated.
