Ethereum is outperforming Bitcoin when it shouldn’t be — what’s driving it?

Ethereum is outpacing Bitcoin as tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran continue to shape global markets. Data from CryptoSlate shows ETH has risen 18% against the dollar since the start of March, compared with a 13% gain for Bitcoin over the same period. The ETH/BTC ratio has also moved higher, rising 7.6% to 0.0315 from 0.0293 in less than three weeks, a sign that Ethereum is gaining ground relative to Bitcoin rather than simply rising alongside it. That shift has pushed ETH above $2,300 and left it on track for its first positive monthly close since August 2025. The move stands out because it is unfolding amid pressure across global macro markets, where conflict risk and higher energy prices have begun to reshape expectations for inflation and monetary policy. The military conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has driven Brent crude above $102 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate has moved past $95. Energy markets are increasingly pricing in the risk of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping route that carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Higher oil prices have often fed into inflation expectations, raising the prospect that central banks will keep policy tight for longer. In past episodes, that backdrop has tended to support Bitcoin’s role as a defensive crypto trade, with investors treating it as the asset closest to a macro hedge inside the sector. This time, Ethereum is delivering a stronger performance. The divergence points to capital flowing into blockchain-specific themes tied to Ethereum’s market structure, network activity, and positioning among institutional investors, rather than a broad move into crypto as a shelter from geopolitical stress. Asset management firm Matrxiport said: “Ethereum is increasingly behaving like a financial asset…This dynamic may also help explain why crypto has recently shown relative strength versus other asset classes and does not neatly fit in...