Aug 26, 2025

Created by industry experts and meticulously reviewed The highest standards in reporting and publishing How Our News is Made Strict editorial policy that focuses on accuracy, relevance, and impartiality Ad discliamer Morbi pretium leo et nisl aliquam mollis. Quisque arcu lorem, ultricies quis pellentesque nec, ullamcorper eu odio. A sudden move by a large holder and deep-pocketed early owners are being linked to a sharp wobble in Bitcoin prices this week. Related Reading Old Whales Hold Deep Profit According to Willy Woo, supply is tightly held by OG (“original gangster”) whales who built big positions around 2011 when Bitcoin traded at about $10. He warned that the gap in cost basis makes a difference: it now takes roughly $110,000 of fresh capital to absorb each Bitcoin those holders choose to sell. That math, he says, helps explain why price action has been slow even as overall market interest grows. According to market observers, a single whale’s rotation from Bitcoin into Ether helped trigger a rapid sell-off that briefly knocked roughly $45 billion off Bitcoin’s market cap. Why is BTC moving up so slowly this cycle? BTC supply is concentrated around OG whales who peaked their holdings in 2011 (orange and dark orange). They bought their BTC at $10 or lower. It takes $110k+ of new capital to absorb each BTC they sell. pic.twitter.com/7CbWXsvX2l Flash Crash Unfolded Quickly Based on reports, Bitcoin slid from $114,500to $112,980 in nine minutes, briefly touching $112,050, CoinMarketCap data shows. Ether fell 3.8% in the same window, dropping from $4,925 to $4,680. Prices later recovered about half of those losses. Traders point to a chain of transfers that set the move off. Whale Rotations And Large Transfers Blockchain.com records show that roughly 24,000 BTC — about $2.7 billion at the time — was sent to the decentralized perpetuals platform Hyperliquid across six transfers beginning Aug. 16. BTCUSD trading at $111,890 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView Of that sum, 18,142 BTC has been sold and much of the proceeds were rotated into 416,590 ETH, an analyst known as MLM reported. A chunk of those ETH — 275,500 — was staked, worth about $1.3 billion. Strategic Positioning And Big Gains It was also reported that the whale took on large leveraged positions, longing 135,260 ETH on Hyperliquid for a total exposure near 551,861 ETH, valued at more than $2.6 billion. That set up a trade that netted around $185 million, according to the same analyst. The longs boosted ETH prices as other traders followed the flows, and when the whale began closing positions, rapid reversals led to cascading sell orders. Related Reading Forces At Work Reports have disclosed the whale still controls 152,874 BTC across several addresses, and those funds originally moved off an exchange about six years ago. Market watchers say there are two forces at work: long-dormant holders sitting on massive unrealized gains, and active traders using large rotations to capture short-term moves. If more of the 152,874 BTC moves to market, sellers could test demand again. On the other hand, the amount of ETH being staked points to at least some longer-term intent from big players. Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView They say journalists never truly clock out. But for Christian, that's not just a metaphor, it's a lifestyle. By day, he navigates the ever-shifting tides of the cryptocurrency market, wielding words like a seasoned editor and crafting articles that decipher the jargon for the masses. When the PC goes on hibernate mode, however, his pursuits take a more mechanical (and sometimes philosophical) turn. Read more Christian's journey with the written word began long before the age of Bitcoin. In the hallowed halls of academia, he honed his craft as a feature writer for his college paper. This early love for storytelling paved the way for a successful stint as an editor at a data engineering firm, where his first-month essay win funded a months-long supply of doggie and kitty treats – a testament to his dedication to his furry companions (more on that later). Christian then roamed the world of journalism, working at newspapers in Canada and even South Korea. He finally settled down at a local news giant in his hometown in the Philippines for a decade, becoming a total news junkie. But then, something new caught his eye: cryptocurrency. It was like a treasure hunt mixed with storytelling - right up his alley! So, he landed a killer gig at NewsBTC, where he's one of the go-to guys for all things crypto. He breaks down this confusing stuff into bite-sized pieces, making it easy for anyone to understand (he salutes his management team for teaching him this skill). Think Christian's all work and no play? Not a chance! When he's not at his computer, you'll find him indulging his passion for motorbikes. A true gearhead, Christian loves tinkering with his bike and savoring the joy of the open road on his 320-cc Yamaha R3. Once a speed demon who hit 120mph (a feat he vowed never to repeat), he now prefers leisurely rides along the coast, enjoying the wind in his thinning hair. Speaking of chill, Christian's got a crew of furry friends waiting for him at home. Two cats and a dog. He swears cats are way smarter than dogs (sorry, Grizzly), but he adores them all anyway. Apparently, watching his pets just chillin’ helps him analyze and write meticulously formatted articles even better. Here's the thing about this guy: He works a lot, but he keeps himself fueled by enough coffee to make it through the day - and some seriously delicious (Filipino) food. He says a delectable meal is the secret ingredient to a killer article. And after a long day of crypto crusading, he unwinds with some rum (mixed with milk) while watching slapstick movies. Looking ahead, Christian sees a bright future with NewsBTC. He says he sees himself privileged to be part of an awesome organization, sharing his expertise and passion with a community he values, and fellow editors - and bosses - he deeply respects. So, the next time you tread into the world of cryptocurrency, remember the man behind the words – the crypto crusader, the grease monkey, and the feline philosopher, all rolled into one. Close Disclaimer: The information found on NewsBTC is for educational purposes only. It does not represent the opinions of NewsBTC on whether to buy, sell or hold any investments and naturally investing carries risks. You are advised to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Use information provided on this website entirely at your own risk. Related News