Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Unleash 97K BTC in 2025’s Biggest Single-Day Exodus

Long-term Bitcoin holders just executed their largest single-day distribution of the year—moving a staggering 97,000 BTC in one fell swoop.

What’s driving the sell-off?

Market veterans are dumping coins at a pace not seen since early 2025. Some are locking in profits; others might be rebalancing ahead of expected volatility. Either way, it’s a signal the old guard is taking chips off the table.

Timing or turbulence?

This isn’t panic selling—it’s strategic. Long-term holders rarely move this much this fast unless they sense a shift. Maybe they know something the rest of us don’t. Or maybe they’re just making room for a Lambo upgrade.

One thing’s clear: when the OGs move, the market listens. And right now, they’re speaking with their wallets.

Bitcoin's price fell by over 3.7% to $108,000 on Friday and continued to decline to $107,400 early Monday. As of the time of writing, the cryptocurrency was trading at $103,330, still down 16% from its record high of $124,429, according to CoinDesk data.

Note that the profit-taking operation is still notably slower than the spikes observed in late 2024.

What's driving the profit-taking?

Long-term holders, including wallets that have been dormant for years, have been consistently selling since bitcoin broke above $100,000 early this year. One explanation for this profit-taking can be rooted in investor psychology.

Think of it this way: how many assets in the world trade at $100K per piece? Perhaps very few that you can quickly count on your fingers. Therefore, it is logical for investors to feel that $ 100,000 per BTC is too expensive, prompting them to take profits.

It also means that the market will likely take time to adjust to $100K as the new normal for BTC. We could continue to see broad range trading around the six-figure price mark for some time, allowing investors to acclimatize to this elevated valuation.