Chainlink (LINK) Whales Gobble 20 Million Tokens Since November - Is a Major Move Brewing?

Whale wallets are making a massive bet on Chainlink's oracle network, snapping up over 20 million LINK tokens in a stealth accumulation spree since last November.

The Big Money Moves

While retail traders chase memecoins, deep-pocketed investors are quietly building positions in foundational Web3 infrastructure. This isn't casual buying—it's a strategic accumulation that suggests institutional players see long-term value in decentralized data feeds, even if they'd never admit it at a stuffy finance conference.

Why LINK Attracts the Giants

Chainlink's oracles act as the critical bridge between blockchains and the real world, feeding price data, weather info, and payment results to smart contracts. As DeFi and on-chain finance grow more complex, the demand for reliable, tamper-proof data explodes. Whales aren't gambling on hype; they're betting on the plumbing.

The Market's Silent Signal

Large-scale accumulation often precedes significant price movements. When entities controlling millions of dollars worth of assets make coordinated buys, they're not doing it for fun. It's a calculated position, a vote of confidence in the network's utility amid a market still obsessed with quick flips and vaporware promises.

This whale activity underscores a classic crypto divergence: the narrative chases shiny objects, while the capital flows to bedrock infrastructure. Maybe the 'smart money' finally got smart, or perhaps they just realized that in a world of digital promises, the service that verifies truth has undeniable, cynical value.

TLDR

• Chainlink whale wallets added over 20 million LINK tokens since early November, worth approximately $263 million
• The accumulation occurred as LINK price rebounded toward the $20 level and currently trades around $12-$13
• JPMorgan’s Ethereum tokenization plans have increased focus on Chainlink’s infrastructure role for secure data feeds and cross-chain messaging
• Futures open interest has declined to $545 million, showing reduced leverage exposure from speculative traders
• LINK price found support at a long-term ascending trendline that has historically marked major accumulation zones since June 2023

Chainlink price has stabilized above $12 as large wallet holders increase their positions. The token currently trades around $13 after a sharp correction from $27.87 over the past four months.

Data from Santiment shows the top 100 LINK wallets added 20.46 million tokens since early November. This accumulation is valued at approximately $263 million at current prices. The buying trend appeared as LINK moved back toward the $20 range before settling into a consolidation phase.

ChainLink's top 100 largest wallets have been accumulating since the start of November, collectively adding 20.46M $LINK (~$263M) back to their wallets.

Watch the accumulation, & view the individual wallets that make up this group of whales here.https://t.co/YGqTlVizTm pic.twitter.com/P8A7j1vYTj

— Santiment (@santimentfeed) December 16, 2025

These large holders control substantial portions of the available supply. Their actions typically reflect longer time horizons rather than short-term trading strategies. On-chain tracking reveals steady additions instead of quick trades in and out of positions.

The accumulation pattern differs from typical speculative behavior. Transfers show consistent buying rather than reactive moves based on news events. Past market cycles have shown similar whale activity before periods of price strength.

JPMorgan Plans Spark Infrastructure Discussion

Recent discussion around JPMorgan’s tokenized deposit plans has renewed attention on ethereum infrastructure needs. Large-scale institutional systems require secure data feeds, audit trails, and automated execution capabilities.

@jpmorgan@chainlink

For those who don’t understand why I’m tagging chainlink instead of Ethereum, it’s because NONE of this works at scale without Chainlink.

Consider the following:
For JPM tokenized deposits to be scalable, reliable, compliant, and auditable, they… pic.twitter.com/JzZYuFPe6n

— AncientMedicine (@AncientMedicin3) December 15, 2025

Supporters point to features like decentralized attestations, proof of reserves, and cross-chain messaging. These services are already operational in live settings according to claims from network advocates. The argument includes concerns about front-running risks on Ethereum layer one execution during large mint or burn events.

Institutional users are described as unlikely to accept such exposure without proper safeguards. The debate centers on current readiness rather than future development plans. Other infrastructure tools exist but critics argue they don’t meet all listed requirements yet.

Futures Market Shows Reduced Leverage

The derivatives market tells a different story than on-chain accumulation. Open interest tied to LINK futures has declined to $545 million according to Coinglass data. This decline indicates speculative traders are reducing leverage exposure due to price uncertainty.

Market participants appear cautious about aggressive positioning. The reduced enthusiasm for Leveraged trades contrasts with the steady buying from large wallet holders. This split suggests different strategies between short-term traders and long-term holders.

Trading patterns show LINK moving sideways between $15 resistance and $12 support. The daily chart displays neutral candles indicating no clear direction from buyers or sellers. This consolidation phase continues as the market waits for a catalyst.

The current price level sits at a long-term ascending trendline dating back to June 2023. This trendline has historically acted as a major accumulation zone for buyers. Previous reversals from this support level led to triple-digit percentage gains.

The RSI momentum indicator shows fresh higher low formation on the daily chart. This pattern suggests recovering sentiment is building despite the sideways price action. Technical analysis aligns with the whale accumulation data pointing to a potential accumulation phase.

LINK price dropped 54% from its recent high of $27.87. The correction brought the token back to tested support levels. Large holders used this decline to add to their positions based on wallet data.

Network operations remain stable as token distribution shifts toward concentrated ownership. The movements indicate focus on long-term retention rather than immediate selling. Whale wallets show targeted inflows into storage addresses.

The futures decline and on-chain accumulation present contrasting signals. Leveraged traders pull back while large holders add to positions. This divergence often appears during transition periods in crypto markets.

A potential breakout above $15 resistance could target the $20 level. The coin price may continue short-term consolidation to build momentum for such a move. Volume and broader market conditions will determine if buyers can push through resistance.