Cardano Faces 9% Weekly Drop While Rising Whale Accumulation Hints at Potential Price Rebound

• Cardano (ADA) faces a challenging landscape with a 9% decline over the week, yet an increase in whale accumulation hints at potential bullish momentum.

• Despite the drop, major investors appear to be positioning themselves for a possible price recovery, diverging from the declining retail participation.

• As reported by Santiment, whale wallets holding substantial ADA have seen significant increases, suggesting strategic accumulation amid market uncertainty.

Cardano (ADA) drops 9% this week, but rising whale accumulation could signal a potential price recovery against declining retail engagement.

Price performance and technical analysis of Cardano

Cardano’s recent price action has been marked by a notable struggle. The token, having faced strong resistance at the $1.12 level, now trades around $1.10. This indicates a substantial retracement, reflecting broader market bearishness.

Source: TradingView

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) currently sits at 58.66, suggesting neutrality with potential for upward momentum should buying interest return. ADA’s price remains comfortably above the key 200-day moving average at approximately $0.77, a level traditionally supportive of bullish trends.

Notably, the formation of a golden cross, evidenced by the 50-day moving average surpassing the 200-day movement, is a bullish indicator. However, with repeated failures to breach the $1.12 resistance, the sustainability of upward momentum remains uncertain.

Cardano whale accumulation: A potentially bullish indicator?

On-chain metrics reveal significant whale accumulation, especially among holders possessing between 10 million and 100 million ADA tokens. This recent spike in accumulation indicates that larger investors are taking an optimistic stance on Cardano’s future, contrasting sharply with the price downturn.

Source: Santiment

The declared increase in large wallet balances signals their confidence in ADA, often seen as a bullish indicator during market corrections. This strategic accumulation suggests that whales anticipate a resurgence in ADA’s price long-term, notwithstanding the current bearish sentiment.

Active address trends and retail sentiment fluctuations

In stark contrast to the whale activity, retail participation shows disturbing signs of decline. Active user addresses witnessed a considerable spike in late November but have since plunged to around 266,000 active addresses.

Source: Santiment

This drop in retail activity can inhibit future price action, given that smaller traders have often played a key role in driving ADA’s price rallies. The disconnect between rising whale holdings and shrinking retail engagement paints a complex picture of market dynamics, suggesting that whales may be anticipating a recovery while retail investors exercise caution in light of larger market trends.

Future outlook for Cardano (ADA)

Cardano’s market position is precarious, balancing between conflicting signals of whale optimism and retail hesitance. Continuous accumulation by significant holders might trigger a price surge, particularly if retail investor confidence returns.

If the price does rebound and manages to surpass the $1.12 resistance, ADA could aim for targets above $1.20.

Conversely, should retail interest remain stagnant and resistance patterns persist, a deeper pullback could see ADA testing critical support around $0.90, an area historically significant for price reversals.

The balance of Cardano’s immediate future hinges on these emerging trends. As large holders bolster their positions, the question remains: will retail engagement revive, or will the current bearish sentiment dominate the market narrative?

Conclusion

In summary, Cardano is currently navigating a challenging environment marked by a significant drop in price and mixed signals within the investor community. While whale accumulation suggests potential optimism, the decline in retail engagement raises concerns about sustaining upward momentum. Observing how these dynamics unfold will be crucial for Cardano’s trajectory in the near future.