Major banks are increasingly keen on the Ethereum network - and it's helping ether hit record highs hrobertson@businessinsider.com (Harry Robertson) Interest in Ethereum from major institutions is helping the ether cryptocurrency soar. The European Investment Bank is reportedly planning to offer digital bonds through the network. Ether rose to a record high above $2,700 on Wednesday before paring some of those gains. Popular Searches Ether rose to an all-time high of $2,710 during Asian trading hours, before paring some gains to stand at around $2,672 on Wednesday. The world's second-most popular cryptocurrency had risen 15% over the week to Wednesday, according to data provider CoinGecko. It had gained around 260% in 2021 so far, compared to a 87% rise in bitcoin.