Retail Investors Rush Back as Bitcoin Whales Gobble Supply – Is This the Cycle Flip?

FOMO is back on the menu. Small traders are piling into BTC as on-chain data shows whales accumulating at levels last seen before the 2021 bull run.

Key signals to watch:

- Exchange reserves dropping faster than a hedge fund’s reputation after a bad trade

- Retail inflows spiking despite ’smart money’ warnings of overextension

- $100K price predictions suddenly sounding less crazy

One question remains: Is this the real deal or just another bull trap to separate rubes from their stablecoins? The charts will decide—but for once, Wall Street might actually be late to the party.

Retail FOMO Meets Whale Accumulation

Following Bitcoin’s brief surge above $94,200 on Wednesday, Santiment’s data showed a wave of FOMO from retail traders entering the market. This is in sharp contrast to recent weeks, when retail largely exited amid macroeconomic uncertainty.

As such, the renewed enthusiasm marks a notable sentiment change. While such crowd behavior often precedes price tops, a move toward $100,000 now appears increasingly likely, according to the update by the crypto analytic platform.

While retail FOMO has reentered the picture, the rally’s foundation appears to be even stronger, thanks to significant moves by major holders.

In a separate analysis, Santiment noted that the 11% surge in Bitcoin’s value from April 21 to 25th also coincided with continued accumulation by key whales and sharks. Wallets holding between 10 and 10,000 BTC were found to have added 19,255 BTC during the period. Such aggressive buying behavior has consistently been a precursor to notable market rallies and indicates that a constructive recovery is underway for Bitcoin.

Bitcoin’s value has jumped +11.2%, and this has once again coincided with key whales & sharks adding on to their already enormous bags. Wallets holding 10-10K $BTC have added 19,255 more coins in this short stretch, and continue to be one of crypto’s most powerful indicators. pic.twitter.com/b3TiVd71iD

— Santiment (@santimentfeed) April 25, 2025

Will the Rally Sustain?

Bitcoin’s recent surge past $90,000 has boosted market sentiment to its highest in over two months, peaking on April 23 with a Fear & Greed Index score of 72, signaling “Greed.” The score has since come down to 60, which has led to concerns regarding the sustainability of the rally.

Despite this, Bitcoin remains the dominant force in the market, with Bitcoin Dominance standing at 64.29% and altcoins lagging far behind. The altcoin season index remains at a low of 18, which has further confirmed Bitcoin’s lead in market favorability.

Meanwhile, crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe said that continued buying pressure could propel Bitcoin toward a new all-time high.