Ethereum gained 60.62% in the third quarter through September 13, its second-best Q3 performance on record, before falling 1.22% to $2,487.51 below $2,500 as resistance near $2,550 persisted. The quarterly gain trails only the 66.55% increase in Q3 2025 and exceeds the 59.5% return in Q3 2020. Ether recovered more than 55% from a June low near $1,600 after declines of 29.26% in Q1 and 25.28% in Q2. Stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation lifted CME FedWatch's implied probability of a quarter-point September rate increase to 87%, pressuring risk assets and Treasury yields, while U.S. spot Ether ETFs recorded $216.4 million of inflows on September 11. Ether remained in the $2,400-to-$2,550 range, with a sustained weekly close above $2,550 potentially opening a path toward $3,000.