Bitcoin Whales Spark Market Frenzy as Long-Term Holders Cash Out

Bitcoin's big players are making waves again—just as the OGs head for the exits.

Whales vs. weak hands: Who's right this time?

The sharks are circling. Bitcoin whales have triggered a feeding frenzy with massive moves, while long-term holders—the so-called 'diamond hands'—are quietly dumping bags. Classic crypto: everyone thinks they're the smart money until the charts prove them wrong.

Meanwhile, Wall Street still can't decide if this is the next digital gold or a high-risk casino chip. Place your bets.

• Bitcoin whale holdings continue to rise despite growing market caution.
• Historical indicators hint at a nearing cycle top if the current trend reverses.
• Key on-chain metrics reflect increased long-term holder distribution.

Whales, the largest Bitcoin holders, are continuously growing their percentage of the entire supply of BTC, an indication of belief in the future direction of the market. This contrasts with the bull run of 2021, in which whale positions significantly decreased prior to Bitcoin’s apex.

According to current on-chain data, whale accumulation is still trending upward, suggesting that these major market participants are not yet ready to exit.

There may be a reversal of this trend to initiate a market top. In prior cycles, comparable points of reversal were witnessed prior to significant corrections. This precedent now asks the question of how long this current bull market can continue if whales begin selling into the market.

Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Begin to Exit Quietly

Joao Wedson, founder and CEO at Alphractal, identified an important trend in one recent analysis: long-term holders of bitcoin (LTHs) are now beginning to divest their coins. That trend persists even as spot Bitcoin ETFs grow in popularity.

In reality, LTHs’ allocation so far has equaled 50% of all the existing Bitcoin held by ETFs. This signifies a significant shift in supply dynamics and may send market volatility soaring further.

Another key metric Wedson cited was Coin Days Destroyed (CDD), Terminal Adjusted. In the past couple of years, spikes in this metric occurred at the same time as local market tops.

The latest spike indicates older BTC from seasoned holders is being sold, a potential red flag. Reserve Risk, another indicator, also displays higher sales pressure from holders who historically maintained coins idle.

On-Chain Signals Reveal Underlying Weakness

Further analysis reveals bearish signs on various metrics. The Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR), an on-chain gauge of flows compared to profit or loss, turned negative weeks prior to the recent fall. This favored short positions and indicated fading participant sentiment.

At the same time, one of the Core proprietary indicators known as “The Alpha Savior” hasn’t yet produced a macro top signal. In Wedson’s words, as long as this indicator’s blue line doesn’t reach the $69,000 level, there won’t be a final peak. That justifies the belief that, despite obvious short-term distribution, there could be yet another blow-off top ahead.

Despite HYPE around ETFs and news headlines, the market remains dependent on older indicators and whale movement. Although distribution grows among long-term holders, with little clear macro top, this cycle of Bitcoin potentially has a few months’ worth of upside ahead of it, specifically for altcoins.