Ethereum (ETH) has been quietly rising, coming very close to surpassing its 2021 ATH. However, following the US PPI data, which exceeded expectations, the crypto market experienced a sharp correction. ETH was also affected by this correction, falling from $4,700 to $4,480. ETH subsequently recovered, reaching levels around $4,600. While expectations continue for Ethereum to surpass its previous ATH in the short term, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin made important statements. Speaking to Bankless, Buterin spoke about ETH's fundamental role in the ecosystem, saying that ETH is the unifying core of the Ethereum network. Buterin stated that ETH is the key to the greatest consensus at the economic level within the Ethereum ecosystem and serves to unite the entire Ethereum community. Buterin argued that for these critical reasons, it is vital for ETH to maintain its position in the ecosystem. While there are various debates about the source of ETH's value, Ethereum remains central to the financial system. Transaction fees, network effects, and other factors all provide support for ETH, and efforts should be made to strengthen the Ethereum ecosystem and ETH from these perspectives in the future. As you may recall, Vitalik Buterin recently commented on the growing trend of ETH-focused treasury companies. While supporting this trend, Buterin warned that excessive leverage risks triggering a gradual price collapse. Buterin said that holding ETH in companies' treasuries is valuable and helps more investors access it. However, he warned that this trend could pose risks to the Ethereum ecosystem if it turns into an “overly leveraged game.” *This is not investment advice.