Whale-sized Bitcoin holders pile up more coins even as prices fluctuate. According to blockchain tracker Santiment, wallets holding at least 1,000 BTC have added 104,340 BTC in recent weeks.
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Reports note that the total supply of this is in hand big wallets reached 7.17 million BTC, the highest level since September 15, 2025. Medium holders also joined in, adding around $3.21 billion to Bitcoin between January 10 and 19. Small retail wallets went the other way, offloading about 132 BTC, worth about $11.66 million.
Whales are raising their stakes
The figures indicate patient purchases by major players. Large transfers of $1 million or more have risen to a two-month high, indicating that large participants are back on the network.
According to SantimentThese types of flows are often linked to institutions and wealthy investors moving coins between custody, exchanges and private wallets.
Some of these moves are driven by strategic choices; some are intended to secure property. Either way, a growing pile of whale hands is changing where the supply is.
Smaller holders are stepping back, while the so-called smart money is increasing exposure. Reports say that medium-sized wallets – holding between 10 and 10,000 BTC – were net buyers in the same stretch.
🐳 Large Bitcoin whales are piling up at an encouraging pace, wallets holding at least 1K $BTC have collectively collected 104,340 additional coins (an increase of +1.5%). Additionally, the number of daily transfers exceeding $1 million is back at a two-month high.
🔗 Chart: https://t.co/CJOfiOBbWU pic.twitter.com/4loxDFtUdb
— Santiment (@santimentfeed) January 25, 2026
Price action and market signals
Bitcoin’s price has not matched the cheerful promotion on the chain. Trading was around $87,730 at one point, with intraday swings between $86,500 and $87,500.
The alpha crypto asset fell about 0.5% in 24 hours and about 5.4% in the previous week. However, volumes have increased, indicating that some investors are intervening at this level.
The picture is mixed: on-chain accumulation signals base formation, but macroeconomic headlines keep the market tense.
Strength in the chain versus headlines
A growing supply of large holders could support a future rally as external stress subsides. Yet prices move more than Bitcoin flows. Large transfers and increasing accumulation mean that demand exists beneath the surface, but that demand has not yet fully pushed the market upward.
Macro risks and market jitters
Geopolitical concerns cast a long shadow. According to reports, US President Donald Trump has sent warships to the US areas of tensionand the prediction markets show a significant chance that the US could attack Iran by June.
Trade friction with Canada over recent auto regulations has created new political noise, and Polymarket shows the probability of a US government shutdown is above 70%. These are real risks that could boost oil production, roil markets and undermine appetite for risky assets.
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Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView