Bitcoin Exodus Accelerates: Exchange Reserves Hit Multi-Year Lows as Whales Hoard
Bitcoin’s great migration out of exchanges isn’t slowing down—it’s accelerating. Data shows over 20,000 BTC fled centralized platforms last week alone, pushing reserves to levels not seen since the 2020 bull run.
The big question: Who’s buying? Institutional custody solutions report record inflows while retail traders keep chasing meme coins. Meanwhile, Wall Street’s ’experts’ still can’t decide if Bitcoin is digital gold or a speculative asset—maybe it’s both.
With the halving dust settled and ETF flows stabilizing, this supply squeeze could ignite the next leg up. Or it might just prove crypto markets love a good narrative as much as hedge funds love management fees.
Over 35,000 BTC Move Out Of Coinbase And Binance
In a Quicktake post on the CryptoQuant platform, crypto analyst João Wedson revealed that Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has seen increased activity over the past few days. The exchange netflow data shows that huge amounts of Bitcoin have been withdrawn from the platform in recent days.
According to CryptoQuant data, a total of 27,750 BTC (worth $2.63 billion at current price) was moved out of Binance on Friday, April 25. This latest round of withdrawals represents the third-largest net outflow in the centralized exchange’s history.
The movement of significant crypto amounts from exchanges, which offer services like selling to non-custodial wallets, suggests a potential shift in investor sentiment and strategy. Large exchange outflows often signal increased confidence of holders in the long-term potential of an asset.
Wedson noted that the recent outflows do not guarantee a price rally for Bitcoin, but they do signal strong institutional activity, which is often a precursor for major volatility. Citing China’s crypto ban in 2021, the crypto analyst highlighted how massive exchange outflows didn’t prevent the dump.
At the same time, Wedson mentioned that the continuous Bitcoin outflows over several days, like during the FTX collapse, preceded a price bottom and the eventual market recovery. Ultimately, the online pundit hinted at paying close attention to the overall trend of the exchange netflow rather than a single-day activity.
Similarly, more than 7,000 BTC (worth approximately $66.5 million) have made their way out of the Coinbase exchange. According to the CryptoQuant analyst Amr Taha, this negative exchange netflow could be an indicator of increased institutional activity, as Coinbase is known as the primary crypto vendor for US-based institutions.
Taha said:
These large outflows typically suggest accumulation by institutions or large investors, potentially signaling bullish sentiment.
The analyst outlined that if the dwindling exchange reserves correlate with an increased spot demand or ETF inflows, a supply squeeze could be on the horizon, potentially pushing the price to the upside.
Bitcoin Price At A Glance
As of this writing, the price of BTC sits just beneath $95,200, reflecting an almost 2% increase in the past 24 hours.
