Bitcoin Approaches $105K as Whale Wallets Surge to Historic Levels

• Bitcoin has recently surpassed the $105,000 mark, coinciding with a significant accumulation of whale wallets, marking a milestone not seen in seven years.

• This price surge presents a stark contrast between long-term holders and new buyers, drawing attention to the evolving landscape of the cryptocurrency market.

• According to data from COINOTAG, the Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) has remained steady at approximately 1.04, indicating a strong accumulation strategy among whale addresses.

Bitcoin has surpassed $105K while whale wallets reach a notable milestone; evolving market dynamics suggest institutional confidence in cryptocurrency.

Strategic Bitcoin whale positioning intensifies

At the time of writing, the number of addresses holding at least 100 Bitcoin had surged to 17,799 – marking its second-highest level since December 2017. This milestone coincided with BTC’s latest push to $105,841.64, a sign of strategic accumulation by institutional players.

Source: Santiment

Particularly noteworthy is the steep accumulation pattern that began in October 2024, when whale addresses numbered around 16,200 – representing a nearly 10% hike in large-holder concentration over just three months.

The acceleration in whale accumulation during the November-December period notably corresponded with Bitcoin’s sustained break above the $90,000-level.

Bitcoin’s market structure signals maturity

Further strengthening this bullish narrative, Bitcoin’s cost basis distribution highlighted a telling market dynamic.

The data indicated unrealized losses predominantly clustered among short-term holders who entered positions within the last 155 days. In contrast, long-term holders are experiencing significant unrealized profits, particularly in the 20,000-40,000 BTC range.

Source: Glassnode

Most striking seemed to be the contrast between long-term holder behavior, as highlighted by the blue bars clustering around lower price levels, and short-term positions marked in red at higher price ranges. Exchange holdings, represented by gray bars, underlined periodic spikes above 600,000 BTC, hinting at strategic institutional positioning rather than panic selling.

Strong technical foundation supports BTC’s uptrend

Supporting these on-chain metrics, Bitcoin’s price action maintained its bullish momentum, with the 50-day moving average currently at $97,942.19, providing dynamic support surpassing the 200-day MA at $74,604.73.

This significant gap between moving averages, over $23,000, highlights strong upward momentum.

Source: TradingView

The recent trading volume of 3.05K BTC at $103,054.14 demonstrated sustained institutional interest, while the series of higher lows since November formed a robust technical foundation.

The recent pullback from $105,841.64 to current levels represented a healthy consolidation, rather than a trend reversal.

On-chain metrics confirm Bitcoin’s strength

The Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) added another layer of confidence, maintaining levels consistently above 1.0 since November’s surge. This metric, hovering around 1.04, indicates that most Bitcoin transactions have been realizing modest profits without triggering mass selling.

Source: Glassnode

Finally, exchange netflow patterns showed a calculated distribution approach, with positive inflows of 308.7 BTC suggesting controlled accumulation rather than distribution. Historical netflow spikes, particularly those seen in December, have preceded significant price movements, indicating strategic positioning by large players.

– Read Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction 2024-25

Looking ahead, Bitcoin’s ability to hold above the psychological $100,000-level while institutional wallets continue growing could signal strengthening market fundamentals. The convergence of multiple positive indicators – record whale addresses, healthy SOPR levels, strong moving average support, and strategic exchange flows – suggests that BTC’s market structure remains robust.

However, traders should closely monitor the $105,000 resistance level. A decisive break above this threshold could trigger the next significant move.