Bitcoin whales add $1.2 billion as ETF inflows hit $754 million

Bitcoin whales accumulated 20,000 BTC, worth $1.2 billion, since July 29 as spot ETFs pulled in $754.69 million this week.

"With the pattern of key stakeholders accumulating and small holders dumping, the probability of $70K+ BTC becomes more and more probable compared to the likelihood of sub-$60K," Santiment said on X.

The U.S.-listed spot bitcoin funds recorded $754.69 million in net inflows this week, their best stretch since April, according to SoSoValue. Wednesday alone contributed more than $240 million, a sharp reversal from June, when the funds logged their worst month on record, Liya Kalchev, an analyst at Nexo, said.

Despite the accumulation, BTC's spot price has not broken meaningfully higher. "Some desks argue the marginal buyer looks more tactical than convicted, and that a genuine recovery narrative likely needs a decisive close above $65,000 to take hold," Kalchev said. A Senate floor vote on the CLARITY Act, widely seen as unlocking institutional demand, has slipped to September.

Whales accumulate while small holders exit

The divergence between large and small holders has widened since the Coldcard hardware wallet hack began July 30, which saw the attacker walk away with $120 million in bitcoin. Santiment attributed micro-holder apathy to the hack, uncertainty over the CLARITY Act, and stagnant price action.

CryptoQuant data show whale balances, excluding exchange and mining-pool addresses, bottomed near 2.87 million BTC in December 2025 and climbed to roughly 3.06 million by Wednesday. "Accumulation accelerated precisely as price fell below $60,000 in June, a textbook buy-the-dip footprint from large holders," a CryptoQuant analyst said.

Price pinned below $65,000

Bitcoin traded near $64,241 at 05:45 UTC, holding above the 200-week simple moving average at $63,776. A decisive weekly close above the 78.6 percent Fibonacci retracement at $65,520 would open the path toward $78,490, the 61.8 percent retracement, according to FXStreet technical analysis.

The U.S. nonfarm payrolls report due Friday could inject volatility, with the CME FedWatch tool showing a 54.7 percent probability of a 25-basis-point rate hike in September. A stronger-than-expected print would weigh on risk assets including bitcoin, while a weak reading could ease rate-hike bets and support the token.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.