BTC dumping keeps rattling retail investors. But scroll past the panic and look at what the on-chain data is actually saying; it paints a very different picture.
While prices have been bleeding, wallets holding 100 BTC or more are quietly approaching 20,000 addresses. Santiment flagged this milestone on February 26 via X, calling it a historically bullish signal when it happens during or after price declines. And right now, it’s happening during a decline.
So who’s selling? Mostly retail. Who’s buying? The whales.
Also Read: Bitcoin Price Prediction 2026
Why BTC Dumping Keeps Shaking Out Retail First
Every major BTC dumping phase in recent memory has ended the same way: retail capitulates, large holders scoop up the supply, and everyone who sold too early is left watching a recovery without them.
Glassnode data shows that wallets holding 10,000 BTC or more are the only cohort currently in net accumulation, while all smaller holder groups, especially those holding under 10 BTC, are selling. That divergence is striking. The people with the most skin in the game are buying. The people with the least are running.
Wallets holding more than 1,000 BTC accumulated roughly 53,000 coins over a single week in February, the biggest wave of whale buying since November, according to Glassnode data. At prices around $69,000, that’s over $4 billion in fresh exposure in one week.
The Numbers Behind the Accumulation
On February 6, CryptoQuant data confirmed the largest single-day whale inflow into accumulation addresses since 2022, 66,940 BTC moved in a single day, worth roughly $4.6 billion at the time. That happened on the same day the Crypto Fear and Greed Index hit 5, its lowest reading ever. Lower than FTX. Lower than the March 2020 COVID crash.
Think about that. The most fearful day in crypto history was the day whales bought more Bitcoin than any day in four years.
CryptoQuant also took a longer view, noting that based on previous halving cycles, the macro bottom window could fall somewhere between June and December 2026, with September to November being the most likely bottoming zone. That aligns with how the 2016 and 2020 cycles played out.
Also Read: Can Bitcoin Fall below $10K? Wikipedia Founder Predicts
BTC Dumping Doesn’t Last Forever – History Says So
Every serious BTC dumping episode since 2016 has eventually resolved upward. That’s not financial advice. It’s just pattern recognition.
After the Fear Index hit single digits during the FTX collapse in November 2022, Bitcoin recovered from $16,000 to $42,000 within 90 days, then went on to set new all-time highs within 12 months. Whale accumulation at those lows was documented across multiple on-chain platforms.
The current setup has similarities. Bitcoin bounced more than 6% from a multi-week low of $62,500 to $68,000 in a single 24-hour period, with on-chain CVD data showing what one analyst described as explosive buying attributed to whale dip accumulation while retail activity stayed muted.
That kind of move doesn’t come from panicked retail traders. It comes from large accounts with conviction.
The Missing Piece – Retail Has to Come Back
Here’s what the data is also saying, and nobody seems to want to talk about it: whale buying alone won’t sustain a rally. Historically, sustained bull markets require not only large-holder accumulation but also expanding participation across investor cohorts, and that broader participation is currently absent.
So yes, BTC dumping is attracting smart money. But until retail regains confidence and starts re-entering the market, the recovery will stay fragile. We need volume from all sides, not just the whales carrying the load.
Watch exchange outflows. Watch the Fear and Greed Index. When retail starts coming back, that’s when things get interesting.
Why does BTC dumping keep happening?
Market corrections are normal in any asset class. For Bitcoin, BTC dumping phases often happen when macroeconomic sentiment turns negative or when leveraged positions get liquidated in bulk.
Does whale accumulation guarantee a Bitcoin price recovery?
No. It is a positive signal, not a guarantee. Broader market conditions, liquidity, and macro factors all matter.
How do we know whales are actually buying and not just moving coins?
On-chain analysts track flows specifically into accumulation addresses, wallets with no history of selling. When coins move there, it signals holding intent, not trading activity.
Should regular investors buy during BTC dumping?
That depends entirely on personal risk tolerance and investment horizon. Nobody can time the bottom perfectly, including the whales.
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Disclaimer:
Look, we’re just journalists reporting the news here, not your financial advisors. Everything you read above is for information purposes only. Crypto is wild, unpredictable, and can absolutely wreck your savings if you’re not careful. Never invest money you can’t afford to lose. Seriously, we mean it. Do your own research, talk to actual licensed financial professionals, and remember that past performance means absolutely nothing when it comes to future results. The crypto market can turn on a dime, and what’s hot today might be toast tomorrow. We’re not responsible for your investment decisions, good or bad. Trade smart, stay safe, and don’t bet the farm on anything you read on the internet, including this article.
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