Bitcoin whales are grazing while retail investors panic sell around $80K

Currently, we see a classic market pattern: Bitcoin whales holding 1,000 to 10,000 BTC continue to aggressively buy at low prices, while small investors are selling their coins. On-chain data from Glassnode indicates that these large players maintain an Accumulation Trend Score close to 1, a strong indicator of buying activity over the past 15 days. Meanwhile, retail holders (under 1,000 BTC) are showing outflow patterns around the $80K level.

What Do Chain Statistics Say About This Market Moment?

The Accumulation Trend Score for whales in the 1,000-10,000 BTC category remains consistently high, indicating targeted accumulation despite current volatility. This stands in sharp contrast to the distribution patterns exhibited by small wallet holders at the same price points.

What stands out: MicroStrategy, the world’s largest public Bitcoin holder, recently purchased 1,229 BTC at an average of $88,568 each (total cost: $108.8 million). Their position grew to 672,497 BTC with a total value of $58.91 billion. This movement illustrates how institutional players continue to believe in the future despite negative sentiment.

Larger whales with more than 10,000 BTC have tempered their aggressive buying after the end of November but show no signs of selling pressure. This differs significantly from the behavior mid-last year when Bitcoin was still above $100,000.

Market Sentiment in Extreme Fear

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index from Coinglass is currently at 25, firmly in the “fear” territory. For a month, sentiment has been oscillating on the edge of fear and extreme fear. This psychological climate typically marks an ideal moment for institutional buyers and targeted accumulation.

Bitcoin is currently around $90.51K (1000 divided by 15 would numerically be 66.67, but market mechanisms determine the actual price drivers ). Over the past seven days, Bitcoin has shown a 1.18% increase. For context: from the all-time high of $126.08K, there has been approximately a 28% correction.

Why This Pattern Is Important

The combination of whale accumulation and retail panic selling generally creates a bottom-market signal. Historically, this is the moment when recovery begins—when large players buy against small money while the crowd flees.

The current Top 100 addresses hold 15.13% of all Bitcoin, while the Top 50 addresses hold 12.41%. This concentration supports the narrative that big investors are indeed consolidating.

Key Takeaways

• Whales Continue Buying: The consistent accumulation pattern around $80K-$88K demonstrates institutional confidence
• Fear = Opportunity: The low Fear and Greed Index combined with whale buying behavior indicates a likely market bottom
• Small Holders Capitulate: Retail capitulation is a classic sign that major players have built their positions
• Institutional Momentum: MicroStrategy’s purchases and the lack of selling pressure from mega-whales point to sustained optimism among professional market participants

This dynamic suggests that patient accumulators are currently in a favorable position. The coming weeks will determine whether whale accumulation around $80K-$90K indeed lays the foundation for the next rise.