Bitcoin’s Sleeping Whales Are Waking Up, And They Are Heavily Selling – What This Means

bitcoinistPublished on 2025-11-10Last updated on 2025-11-10

Abstract

With a brief bounce on Sunday, the price of Bitcoin is now holding above the $106,000 mark, signaling a potential...

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With a brief bounce on Sunday, the price of Bitcoin is now holding above the $106,000 mark, signaling a potential bullish week ahead for the flagship cryptocurrency asset. Meanwhile, BTC early investors or dormant whales are starting to return to the market, dumping their holdings at a rapid rate in a period where sentiment remains uncertain.

Ancient Bitcoin Wallets On The Move

Bitcoin’s quiet giants are stirring up once again, and the market is taking notice of the return of these key investors. Currently, there is a notable wave of activity observed among long-dormant BTC wallets, with old whales transferring coins that haven’t moved in years.

As reported by Darkfost, a market expert and author at CryptoQuant, these large investors are steadily returning to the market, and their selling pressure is rising. According to the market expert, a significant amount of these investors are waking up and selling “simply because they can now.”

When the network’s most patient investors are transferring and selling portions of their stash, it often signals a shift in sentiment among these early-era holders. Regardless of the reason, the resurgence of old Bitcoin supply is becoming one of the most significant on-chain signals for the market this week.

Bitcoin
BTC old whales are dumping their holdings | Source: Chart from Darkfost on X

Darkfost highlighted that selling large amounts of BTC has never been simpler than they are now. Interestingly, it was far harder to extract substantial liquidity from the market in earlier cycles. This is due to the fact that the market capitalization was much lower, and there was no institutional demand, Bitcoin Spot Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs), or even certain governments involved.

As of today, these early large holders can now leave the market with greater ease, and this distribution stage is crucial. Now, if we take a broader view and zoom out, we can see that whales are still building up in this cycle. At this point, it means that the 1-Year Change in Whale Holdings has been rising since 2023. While this is a long-term view, a larger picture in a bit on the short-term activity shows there is some movement. 

Whales Holdings Dropping Alongside BTC’s Price

Following a robust month of August, whale holdings have fallen sharply from 398,000 BTC to about 185,000 BTC in October, just as the price of BTC was breaking above the $123,000 level. Meanwhile, accumulation has resumed since then, and the holdings of these investors have moved up to 294,000 BTC as of November 7.

As a result, even while some whales appear to be exiting the market, new ones are entering it, and the players that are already there are still growing. Some whales continue to increase their exposure over the medium to long term, and the current trend differs greatly from the distribution phase that occurred at the end of the 2021 cycle. Presently, the price of Bitcoin is trading at $106,323 after rising by nearly 5% in the past day.

Bitcoin
BTC trading at $106,429 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com
Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
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Godspower Owie is my name, and I work for the news platforms NewsBTC and Bitcoinist. I sometimes like to think of myself as an explorer since I enjoy exploring new places, learning new things, especially valuable ones, and meeting new people who have an impact on my life, no matter how small. I value my family, friends, career, and time. Really, those are most likely the most significant aspects of every person's existence. Not illusions, but dreams are what I pursue.

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