Bitcoin whales buy 122K BTC in 6 weeks – What’s driving the surge?

In a marked shift beneath the surface of the market, whale wallets holding between 100 and 1,000 Bitcoin [BTC] have snapped up over 122,000 Bitcoin in just six weeks.

This move shows mounting confidence among deep-pocketed investors.

The addition of 337 new wallets in this cohort shows a growing bullish divergence from retail behavior, as prices flirt with the $107K level.

While smaller holders appear cautious, Bitcoins biggest believers are doubling down.

Whales surge back in

On-chain data from Santiment reveals a powerful uptick in Bitcoin accumulation by whales holding between 100 and 1,000 BTC.

Over the past six weeks, this cohort has collectively added 122,330 BTC, while the number of such wallets jumped by 337; a 2.1% increase.

Source: Santiment

The rise in both coin holdings and wallet count suggests not just existing whales doubling down, but also the emergence of new large holders.

This trend runs counter to retail hesitation and signals a potential inflection point, as institutional and high-net-worth investors quietly consolidate their positions ahead of the next major move.

Whales position long as retail pulls back at $107K

Recent data from Alphractal shows a short-term divergence between whale and retail behavior around the $107K level.

The whale vs. retail delta line reveals that whales are beginning to go long, even as retail sentiment remains cautious or bearish.

Source: Alphractal

This shift is reinforced by the lower heatmap, where BTCUSDT and shows strong red bands — indicating disproportionate whale buying activity.

As Bitcoins price hovers at a key support level, the growing separation between whale and retail positioning suggests that larger players are front-running a potential rebound, while smaller traders remain sidelined or are selling into weakness.

Smart money builds while retail waits

The aggregated Funding Rate remained moderately positive at 0.0058 at press time; a sign of mild bullish bias without the froth of excessive leverage.

Paired with a fear & greed index reading of 65 — hovering in the “greed” zone but not yet euphoric; the market appears primed for a potential breakout continuation.

Source: Coinalyze

In the short term, the steady whale accumulation suggests growing conviction among sophisticated players, even as retail hesitates.

Historically, whales tend to front-run broader moves, often prompting a delayed retail response. If the current trend holds, retail could soon chase momentum higher.

However, this divergence also comes with risks. Retail lagging behind may imply a lack of organic follow-through, especially if liquidity thins out.

Not every whale-led accumulation leads to sustained rallies — particularly in late-cycle moves, where large players also distribute into strength.

For now, smart money appears to be stepping in, but the markets ability to sustain upside will depend on whether retail joins… or gets left behind.

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