Whales Holding 1,000-10,000 BTC See Fastest Portfolio Decline Since 2023
The big fish are swimming for the exits—and they're not looking back.
When Whales Move, Markets Tremble
Forget retail panic. The real story unfolds in the deep pockets. A specific cohort of Bitcoin holders—those controlling between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC—is slimming its collective wallet at a pace not seen in years. This isn't just profit-taking; it's a strategic repositioning that sends ripples across the entire ecosystem.
Decoding the Data Dive
The numbers don't lie. This tier of investor, often a mix of early miners, institutional funds, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, is reducing exposure. The velocity of the sell-off marks a clear inflection point. While some call it distribution, others see it as a necessary flush before the next leg up—a classic case of weak hands transferring coins to diamond hands, just with a few more zeros involved.
What's Driving the Exodus?
Speculation runs wild. Is it portfolio rebalancing into other digital assets? A response to macroeconomic pressures? Or simply cashing in after a historic run? The motive matters less than the movement itself. This cohort's actions have historically been a leading indicator, not a lagging one. Their collective behavior often foreshadows broader market sentiment shifts, making this decline a critical data point for every chart watcher and fund manager.
The Contrarian Take
Let's be cynical for a second. Maybe this is just finance as usual: the so-called 'smart money' selling to the 'dumb money' right before they plan to buy back in cheaper. It's the oldest play in the book, now dressed in digital leather. But in crypto, narratives shift faster than blockchain confirmations. Today's sell-off can fuel tomorrow's scarcity story.
One thing's certain: when whales holding 1,000 to 10,000 Bitcoin make a move, you feel the wake. Whether this is a storm warning or just the tide going out before a bigger wave hits remains the trillion-dollar question. Stay tuned, and maybe keep some dry powder handy.
Whales with 1,000-10,000 BTC record fastest BTC holding decline since 2023
🚨LARGE BTC HOLDERS ARE NOT BUYING THE DIP
Addresses holding 1K–10K BTC have cut holdings by 220K BTC over the past year after peaking at about 409K BTC in March 2024.
This is the fastest decline since early 2023. pic.twitter.com/XV13XWvc0D
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) January 9, 2026
According to Coin Bureau, the cut represents the fastest decline since 2023. The whales’ behavior indicates that they are hesitant to resume buying crypto assets, which could signify that they are anticipating a deeper correction.
Bitcoin ETF investors have also exhibited similar characteristics. According to data from ETF tracking website SosoValue, Spot BTC ETFs registered outflows worth $681.01 million last week. January 7 was the worst day of the week with negative flows worth $486 million. The ETFs only recorded positive inflows on Monday, worth $697.25 million, a substantial amount, but it wasn’t enough to keep them buying for the rest of the week.
In December, the ETFs recorded net outflows worth more than $1 billion. So far, the funds have experienced a slow start in 2026, with 209.87 million in net outflows since the year began.
A previous Cryptopolitan report, dated January 3, noted that Bitcoin whale accumulation was overhyped, with onchain data suggesting continued distribution. The report referenced Julio Moreno, the head of research at CryptoQuant, who wrote on X that “whales are not buying an enormous amount of Bitcoin.”
The researcher stated that most Bitcoin whale data has been influenced by the activities of crypto exchanges, which consolidate their holdings in fewer addresses. According to Moreno, data that excludes all exchange addresses shows that whale balances are declining.
Similarly, whale influence on exchanges hit a 10-month peak signaling potential selling pressure. Cryptopolitan recently reported that whale deposits in all exchanges are increasing significantly. The report noted the trend just as Bitcoin recovered above $90k, a level last seen in mid-December.
BTC exchange whale ratio climbed to 0.504 according to the report. Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange by volume, is the center of all exchange inflows. The exchange held 71% of stablecoin deposits. The exchange also accepted BTC deposits, and native BTC remained one of the most actively traded assets on the platform.
Binance’s Bitcoin inflows surges in the last two years
The Cryptoquant data also showed that Binance’s Bitcoin inflows have been increasing over the past two years, with the highest inflow mean of 22.81 recorded in January. The exchange whale ratio mirrors previous selling periods, including that of 2025. Whales also moved in right after the October liquidation event, aiming to take profits before BTC had a more significant slide.
But not all whales are selling. On January 7, three wallets purchased $3,000 Bitcoin for $280 million. According to Santiment, Bitcoin’s break above $90 may have renewed Optimism among large players. Coin Bureau noted on December 20 that 50% of Bitcoin’s realized cap comes from new whale buyers.
According to the crypto education platform, these new sets of investors absorb supply at significantly higher prices without waiting for deep corrections. Coin Bureau suggested that Bitcoin experienced an increase in new institutional investors and high-net-worth buyer activity.
Bitcoin is currently trading at $90,667. According to data from crypto data aggregator CoinMarketCap, the crypto asset is up 1.12% in the last 24 hours but has struggled to surpass $95k, a level it previously revisited on January 5.
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