Bitcoin whales are increasing sales after failing to retest the $105,000 psychological level. Profit taking among institutional investors spiked during the same period, leading to massive jitters in hourly trading data. However, most analysts support an upward trajectory due to relaxed macro tensions and a couple of on-chain factors. 30,000 BTC Flow Exit Whale Addresses Recent outflows from whale balances have slightly lowered the bullish drive recorded at the start of the week. Trading data shows 30,000 BTC transferred out of whale addresses in the last 72 hours, signaling a new wave of profit-taking. These movements became more intense mid-week after the Bitcoin price struggled with the $105k resistance. The outflow worth approximately $1.8 billion triggered sell pressures, leading to a slight drop in price. Bitcoin’s price fell 1.5% in a few hours before making a comeback and trading above $103,674. Whale movements influence the wider market due to the size of their holdings. These investors often stall bearish reactions compared to retail traders. Reactions remain mild across altcoins as some traders view it as a natural price cycle and the effects of a prolonged dip. After Bitcoin slipped below $76K, several addresses were in losses, with large holders taking new positions. These traders are now locking in a portion of their profits following the swift recovery. Despite sales, about 80% of wallets are in profit due to sustained bullish resistance. On the flipside, a majority of crypto watchers point to a higher rally, citing growing institutional demand. Over the past month, institutional volume spiked, taking assets under management (AUM) in crypto ETPs to new levels. Bitcoin led gains notching approximately $1.94 billion in the last 30 days. Ethereum Holders Heighten Demand While Bitcoin traders are slightly in profit-taking territory, Ether bulls are in accumulation mode . According to CryptoQuant researchers, Binance Ethereum reserves dropped by 300,000 tokens. On May 14, reserves stood at 3.9 million ETH, signaling positive demand. Outflows from exchanges show a desire to hold assets long-term. According to analyst Amr Taha, possible reasons include the desire for self-custody and institutional accumulation. “ Shift Toward Self-Custody (HODLing). Investors may be moving ETH to cold wallets or DeFi protocols, reducing available supply on exchanges. Institutional Accumulation Large players might be withdrawing ETH for OTC trades, private investments, or staking, reducing exchange supply without direct market selling.”
