Home Blog Page 644

Largest Hack in History? Coinbase Exec Reveals Why the 80,000 Bitcoin Transfer Was Likely a Hack

Elendu Benedict
-
0
Largest Hack in History? Coinbase Exec Reveals Why the 80,000 Bitcoin Transfer Was Likely a Hack

A Coinbase executive shed new light on the recent $8 billion Bitcoin transfer yesterday, a twist that might set a new heist record.

Conor Grogan, Coinbase’s head of product, sparked fresh speculations about the July 4 Bitcoin transfer in a tweet, suggesting the transfer might be beyond a whale casually relocating his stash. Specifically, he noted that there is a small chance that the $8.6 billion worth of Bitcoin moved yesterday might have been compromised.

Suspicious Test Raises Alarm

For context, several wallets containing 10,000 BTC awoke yesterday after being dormant for over 14 years, with their sequence raising eyebrows. Notably, Lookonchain confirmed that it was a Bitcoin OG who was moving his stash.

About 8 wallets were tied to the whale, each containing 10,000 BTC. Particularly, the whale moved all bitcoins to 8 new addresses, which still hold the stash at the time of writing.

Nonetheless, Grogan highlighted a few reasons why the move might not have come from the account’s original owner. For one, the Coinbase exec said he discovered a singular test transaction on the Bitcoin Cash network from one of the whales, followed by the full amount.

This meant that the transaction was to test the private keys quietly on the BCH network, which attracted less attention than on Bitcoin. Further details reveal that the test transaction involved 10,000 BCH, worth approximately $4.9 million at the time.

Receipt Of Test Transaction

After a successful test, the whale moved its first 10,000 BTC ($1.09 billion) from the “12tLs9” before shifting from all other 7 wallets linked to the owner, totaling 80,009 BTC ($8.6 billion).

Grogan Highlights Strange Move

Moreover, Grogan shared that the other BCH wallets affiliated with the BTC whale remain untouched, aside from the one involved in the test transaction. As a result, he questioned why the owner had not moved them if his intention was simply to relocate his Bitcoin stash to new addresses.

Grogan ruled out the possibility it was an exchange wallet or an institution moving their stash due to the BCH test transaction. He also highlighted that the whale moved the stash manually, further suggesting it was an individual.

Nonetheless, he stressed that he was “speculating on straws here” and had not confirmed his suspicions. But if it is right, the BTC theft would be the largest heist in human history.

Remarkably, it would trounce the Bybit hack, which currently stands as the largest dollar-worth heist in crypto history. Recall that hackers drained $1.5 billion from Bybit in February and have completely moved the looted funds.

Expert Says XRP Buying Chances Will Disappear When Ripple Unveils What They Are Hiding About XRP

Abdulkarim Abdulwahab
-
0
Expert Says XRP Buying Chances Will Disappear When Ripple Unveils What They Are Hiding About XRP

XRP advocate Edoardo Farina, founder of Alpha Lions Academy, has issued a dramatic warning to the crypto community regarding XRP.

In a recent post, Farina stated that once Ripple finally reveals what it has been keeping secret about the XRP held in escrow, that moment will mark the final deadline. According to him, once this information becomes public, the opportunity to buy XRP at current levels will be gone forever.

This statement suggests that investors are facing their last chance to buy XRP “cheap” at the $2 range. In a hypothetical scenario where Ripple unveils a new plan for the escrowed tokens, it could trigger a wave of FOMO, sending the price of XRP soaring.

Farina’s warning adds to his ongoing campaign that Ripple is preparing to reveal a game-changing truth about the massive amount of XRP it controls in escrow. He believes this revelation will mark the beginning of a new era of institutional dominance.

Ripple’s Escrow with 37 Billion XRP Locked

Ripple currently holds over 37 billion XRP in escrow, governed by a pre-programmed monthly release schedule embedded in the XRP Ledger. This mechanism ensures transparency and prevents market flooding.

However, Farina has long argued that the public only knows part of the story. He believes the true nature of the escrow arrangements is obscured by non-disclosure agreements and strategic financial positioning. In particular, he has speculated about the involvement of institutions such as the U.S. Treasury and the IMF.

Farina’s theories suggest Ripple may have already entered into private agreements to transfer or assign rights over portions of the escrowed XRP to government or global financial institutions.

“The Hidden Truth” and Speculative Theories

While on-chain data confirms Ripple’s formal control over the escrow, Farina argues that blockchain transparency does not account for legal or contractual agreements made off-chain. He maintains that something significant is being deliberately withheld. And once Ripple discloses it, it will be too late for retail investors to act, he claims.

Despite a lack of verifiable evidence, the theory has gained traction as Ripple pursues deeper integration into the U.S. financial system.

Ripple’s Regulatory Moves Add Fuel to Speculation

Farina’s warning follows Ripple’s confirmed efforts to obtain a U.S. national bank charter and gain access to a Federal Reserve master account. XRP supporters see these steps as signs that the company is aligning itself with traditional financial institutions and central authorities.

To believers like Farina, these developments suggest that Ripple is preparing to repurpose the escrowed XRP for use in monetary infrastructure, as collateral for stablecoins, liquidity support, or even as a component of national crypto reserves. Still, this remains speculative.

“Final Deadline” to Buy

Farina insists that once Ripple reveals the full story behind the escrow, the chance to purchase XRP at current levels will vanish. In his view, any announcement confirming institutional or sovereign involvement in XRP will lead to a dramatic shift in its valuation.

Critics remain skeptical, citing the speculative nature of the claims and the lack of concrete evidence. Nevertheless, the timing of Ripple’s regulatory moves continues to fuel the debate within the crypto community.

Here’s XRP Price if Bitcoin Hits $1M and XRP Maintains Its Market Share

Abdulkarim Abdulwahab
-
0
Here’s XRP Price if Bitcoin Hits $1M and XRP Maintains Its Market Share

A market where Bitcoin is priced over $1 million could significantly benefit XRP.

Industry experts are increasingly in agreement that Bitcoin will eventually reach the $1 million mark. Sentiment has improved this year as Bitcoin broke into six-figure territory, ushering in unprecedented institutional FOMO (fear of missing out). Company after company has announced Bitcoin strategies, adding the asset to their balance sheets.

Reports even suggest that over 200 companies have adopted BTC as part of their treasury reserves, following the lead of MicroStrategy. The U.S. government is also planning to create a BTC reserve to hold 1 million BTC.

Amid this new environment, calls for Bitcoin reaching $1 million have grown stronger than ever. Among the prominent voices supporting this outlook are Michael Saylor, CZ of Binance, Jack Dorsey, Samson Mow, Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson, and even Eric Trump, son of U.S. President Donald Trump.

XRP Price if Bitcoin Hits $1 Million

This promising outlook raises questions about the potential valuation of altcoins like XRP if Bitcoin were to actually reach $1 million.

Currently, Bitcoin commands a 65.71% dominance in the $3.28 trillion crypto market. If Bitcoin hits $1 million and maintains this dominance, the total crypto market cap would be approximately $30.26 trillion.

XRP currently holds about 3.93% of the global crypto market. If it retains this market share in a $30.26 trillion environment, XRP’s price would be around $20.15. This would give XRP a market cap of approximately $1.19 trillion, a record high for the asset.

This scenario would represent an 830% increase (or roughly a 9x gain) from XRP’s current price of $2.18.

Can XRP Hit an Even Higher Price Before Bitcoin Reaches $1M?

While such growth would be a significant turnaround for XRP, many believe it could achieve this 830% surge even before Bitcoin hits $1 million.

For example, longtime Bitcoin advocate Davinci Jeremie has stated that XRP could reach $24 by the end of 2025.

However, many analysts see the $1 million Bitcoin target as something much farther in the future, with projections often pointing to 2030.

This suggests that XRP’s market share could increase beyond its current ~4% before Bitcoin reaches the $1 million milestone. In other words, XRP could be worth significantly more than $20 by that time.

For instance, Telegaon analysts predict that XRP could trade at $87 by 2035, the same year they expect Bitcoin to hit $1.2 million.

Indeed, XRP has historically shown more dramatic surges than Bitcoin. For example, over the past year, Bitcoin has risen by 75%, while XRP has gained 350%. This indicates XRP has grown nearly five times faster than Bitcoin, and could shape future outcomes.

Shiba Inu in 2035 and 2040: Here’s How High SHIB Could Reach Over Next 15 Years

Lele Jima
-
0
Shiba Inu in 2035 and 2040: Here’s How High SHIB Could Reach Over Next 15 Years

Despite Shiba Inu underperforming this year, several entities believe that SHIB will exceed its current value in the next few years. 

Since January 2025, major cryptocurrencies, such as Shiba Inu, have experienced significant price fluctuations driven by macroeconomic factors, including the tariff war and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. 

Shiba Inu Team Advises Investors Amid Dip 

Even though the tension has eased, its after-effect still lingers, as reflected in Shiba Inu’s price, which has slumped nearly 46% this year. This massive dip has impacted investors’ portfolios, with more than 908,000 on-chain addresses currently holding 834.88 trillion SHIB tokens at a loss, according to IntoTheBlock. 

Notably, about 480,000 addresses with a cumulative balance of 99.12 trillion SHIB are currently in profit. Notably, IntoTheBlock’s metric encompasses all Shiba Inu tokens, including those that have been burned. 

While Shiba Inu’s bearish performance in 2025 has sparked concerns among investors, the ecosystem team has continued to highlight SHIB’s prospects. They encourage SHIB investors to ignore short-term price fluctuations and focus on long-term prospects.

In March, Shiba Inu marketing specialist Lucie emphasized that Shiba Inu would ultimately succeed, reaching much higher valuations. This outlook requires holders to remain patient with short-term fluctuations.

Given this optimism, The Crypto Basic consulted multiple entities to determine the price of Shiba Inu by 2035 or 2040. 

2035 Shiba Inu Price Prediction 

Several significant events are expected to occur in the cryptocurrency market between now and 2035. Specifically, Bitcoin must have completed two halving events by 2028 and 2032, which typically trigger a bullish reaction across the broader crypto market. 

It is also expected that the crypto market might have clear regulations before President Donald Trump leaves office in January 2029. 

In the meantime, Shiba Inu is trading at $0.00001170, boasting a market cap of $6.84 billion. Leading crypto exchange Kraken speculated that, with a sustained 10% annual growth rate, SHIB could reach $0.000030 by 2035.

Meanwhile, crypto trading platform Changelly believes Shiba Inu will trade at a higher level by 2035. According to the exchange, SHIB will change hands at an average price of $0.00056, with a maximum target set at $0.000875. Interestingly, Telegaon expects Shiba Inu to delete two zeros from its price and trade at $0.00216. 

However, AI model ChatGPT referenced a forecast from BitScreener to set a modest 2035 price target of $0.00005938 for Shiba Inu. Notably, Google Gemini expects SHIB to trade around $0.00085 by 2035. 

2040 Price Prediction for Shiba Inu 

Most market commentators predict that Shiba Inu’s price could further improve by 2040. Notably, by this time, Bitcoin must have completed four additional halvings: 2028, 2032, 2036, and 2040. 

Changelly sets Shiba Inu’s 2040 minimum, average, and maximum price targets at $0.00565, $0.00604, and $0.00699, respectively. 

However, Kraken suggests that Shiba Inu would still maintain four leading zeros by 2040 if it grows at a rate of 10% every year from now until then.

The exchange projects that, with a 10% compounded annual growth rate, SHIB could trade at $0.000048. Yet, a sustained 20% yearly rise would push it as high as $0.00018. 

Crypto exchange Flitpay expects the price of SHIB to range between $0.0049 and $0.017 by 2040. Referencing a forecast from BitScreener, ChatGPT speculates that Shiba Inu will reach a maximum target of $0.00009119 by 2040. 

On the other hand, Telegaon projects that Shiba Inu will trade between $0.054 and $0.089 by 2040, exactly 15 years from now.  

Shiba Inu Price Predictions Telegaon
Shiba Inu Price Predictions Telegaon

XRP Coiling Like a Spring, Next Move Could “Melt Faces”: Market Expert

Sam Wisdom Raphael
-
0
XRP Coiling Like a Spring, Next Move Could “Melt Faces”: Market Expert

A market analyst says XRP is now coiling like a spring, suggesting that a breakout could lead to a face-melting move.

The recent analysis, which came from market technician Melarin, emerges as XRP faces another roadblock to the latest recovery attempt. Specifically, after posting impressive gains at the start of July, XRP witnessed massive resistance at the $2.31 peak on July 3 and has since continued to correct.

XRP Has Continued to Coil for Nearly Two Months

However, Melarin insists that this is part of a broader pattern that could see XRP explode considerably in the future. Particularly, Melarin showed that XRP has been coiling significantly on the 4-hour timeframe since mid-May, after it collapsed from the $2.65 local top on May 12.

For the uninitiated, when a crypto asset coils, its price trades within a narrow range and shows steadily decreasing volatility. This behavior often forms patterns like triangles, channels, wedges, or flags on the chart. 

Notably, market analysts describe it as “coiling” because the price action mirrors a spring that tightens, building pressure that often leads to a sharp move in either direction. For XRP, the price has persistently ranged around the $2 mark, witnessing lower lows as it moves through a descending channel. 

XRP 4h Chart Melarin
XRP 4h Chart | Melarin

Currently, XRP is already knocking at the upper trendline of the descending channel, with the recent recovery push above $2.31 representing the latest knock. According to Melarin, when XRP eventually breaks above the channel and resolves from the spring, the resulting move could be explosive.

The Next Move Could “Melt Faces”

She pointed out that every significant breakout in history has always started quiet, just like what the market is currently witnessing. For instance, before the explosive 580% rally to the $3.4 peak in January 2025, XRP witnessed a period of quiet price consolidation around the $0.5 range in Q4 2024, as the price coiled for months.

Meanwhile, Melarin’s chart also highlighted a falling wedge similar to the one XRP is currently facing, which resolved in early May. Specifically, once XRP broke above the upper trendline, it hit the $2.65 peak on May 12. Notably, this high represented a 26% increase from the $2.1 low within a week.

Now, Melarin believes another imminent breakout is on the horizon, suggesting that “this one is about to get loud.” The analyst insists that the upcoming move could melt faces. However, her chart presents an initial and immediate push toward the $2.8 region once the breakout occurs.

This mark is just shy of the $2.9 to $3 area. Recall that analyst EGRAG Crypto mentioned that XRP would need to breach the $2.9 level to confirm a decisive upward push and break out of the current consolidation. In subsequent analyses, EGRAG has predicted an ultimate target of $27.

Currently, XRP trades for $2.22 at press time, down 0.84% over the past 24 hours.

Here Is XRP Price if Bitcoin Hits $21M as Predicted by Michael Saylor

Sam Wisdom Raphael
-
0
Here Is XRP Price if Bitcoin Hits $21M as Predicted by Michael Saylor

XRP price may soar beyond the $400 price if XRP follows Bitcoin’s path as Bitcoin hits the $21 million price predicted by Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor.

While Bitcoin (BTC) has continued to post new all-time highs since the ongoing bull run began late last year, several analysts contend that the crypto firstborn has not yet reached its actual top for the ongoing cycle. For instance, last month, analyst “Titan of Crypto” suggested that BTC has entered the last phase of its uptrend, but it still has another leg up.

Saylor Predicts Bitcoin to $21M

Amid this bullish concession, multiple price predictions surrounding Bitcoin have emerged as market watchers try and project where the pioneering cryptocurrency could head by the end of this bull run and beyond. While most of these projections have been in the thousands, Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor is already looking ahead.

Specifically, during a speech at the BTC Prague 2025 conference, Saylor presented a possible timeline for Bitcoin to reach a whopping $21 million price. Calling attention to the shifting regulatory atmosphere in the U.S. and beyond, as well as other bullish factors, Saylor suggested Bitcoin could reach $21 million in the next 21 years.

However, while Saylor’s projections provide no accommodation for altcoins like XRP, investors with financial commitments to these altcoins also feel a sense of excitement. This is because the altcoin market often moves alongside Bitcoin, and this can be bittersweet for the market.

XRP Price if Bitcoin Hits $21M

For one, if Bitcoin witnesses a period of price struggles such as from June 19 to 22, coins like XRP usually observe a similar downtrend. Nonetheless, during a recovery campaign from Bitcoin, these coins see similar rebounds. As such, any bullish projections surrounding Bitcoin would naturally trickle into assets like XRP.

Considering this reality, a Bitcoin rally to $21 million would positively impact XRP’s price. However, the extent of such impact remains unclear. For the sake of a definite assessment, we evaluated how much XRP would be worth if it grew comparatively. 

Specifically, with Bitcoin currently trading for $107,000, a rally to $21 million would demand a 19,526% increase. Meanwhile, XRP changes hands at $2.21 at the time of reporting. If XRP sees a comparative 19,526% rise from its current position, the price of 1 XRP will skyrocket to $431 by 2046.

To put things into perspective, if this materializes, a $10,000 investment in XRP today, which holds 4,545 tokens, will have grown to $1.9 million over a 21-year period. However, there is no guarantee Bitcoin would reach the $21 million mark over the next 21 years or that XRP would grow at the same pace.

Analyst Says Fun Is About to Come as Bitcoin Eyes New ATH After More Consolidation

Mark Brennan
-
0
Analyst Says Fun Is About to Come as Bitcoin Eyes New ATH After More Consolidation

Analyst suggests Bitcoin may consolidate before breaking key resistance, setting up for a potential new all-time high.

This prediction comes at a time when the price of Bitcoin (BTC) is currently $108,094, reflecting a -2.09% price decline in the past 24 hours but a 1.31% increase over the last 7 days. 

Despite the short-term decline, Michaël van de Poppe, an analyst on X, has shared a chart analysis suggesting a slight pullback is still necessary.

Resistance at $110K: A Key Hurdle

Particularly, Bitcoin is facing significant resistance at the $110,000 level, which has been a major hurdle for the price. Despite multiple attempts to break above this resistance, recent price movements have resulted in rejections, and the price has consolidated just below this zone.

This level first limited Bitcoin’s price on May 27, following its previous all-time high of $111,800, and reappeared as resistance on June 9 and July 3.

Image

However, the analyst views this phase of price consolidation as a crucial preparation for a potential breakout. The market appears hesitant but is gathering momentum for the next move. According to van de Poppe, if Bitcoin breaks above the $110K resistance, fun will come in, as it is the key trigger for Bitcoin to accelerate towards new ATHs.

Liquidity Zones Driving Price Action

Meanwhile, liquidity zones play an essential role in Bitcoin’s movement. The analysis notes that liquidity has been absorbed around $105,797, before rebounding to the current level. 

The presence of these liquidity zones may contribute to Bitcoin’s next significant move once the $110K resistance is broken.

Key Price Levels and Targets

Also, the chart identifies important levels to watch, such as $102,900, which could be a key area for potential spot positions. A second target zone is between $99,000 and $100,000, where liquidity may be absorbed before Bitcoin pushes higher.

If Bitcoin’s price drops below $105,500, it could trigger a retest of the liquidity, leading to a potential upward move, much like the price action seen last week. At the time, the price fell below $99,000 on June 22, then recovered to trade above $108,000 by June 26. In that scenario, the price would absorb liquidity and potentially move upward.

Bitcoin’s Derivatives Market is Cautiously Optimistic

Elsewhere, the Bitcoin derivatives market shows a cautiously optimistic outlook, with a slight pullback in volume (-39.36%) and open interest (-6.32%). This could signal a stabilization phase after recent market activity. The Long/Short ratio of 0.9585 suggests a slightly bearish tilt, with more traders holding short positions, particularly on platforms like Binance (0.5627) and OKX (0.49). 

Screenshot 2025 07 04T172944203
Bitcoin Derivatives Data

Additionally, the higher liquidations of short positions (1-hour Rekt at $26.93 million, 4-hour Rekt at $27.71 million) suggest upward pressure on prices as short traders are squeezed. 

Shiba Inu Team Says SHIB Ecosystem Isn’t Built on 5–10K Holders That Can Vanish Overnight

Abdulkarim Abdulwahab
-
0
Shiba Inu Team Says SHIB Ecosystem Isn’t Built on 5–10K Holders That Can Vanish Overnight

The Shiba Inu community is reaffirming its strength as team members and supporters call for unity on Shibarium. 

Despite market challenges and shifting narratives, the Shiba team says its foundation is far stronger than many realize, and it’s now time to activate that strength on-chain fully.

Over 1.5 Million Shib Holders but Low Migration to Shibarium

Recent figures shared by Shibarium Updates show that the Shiba Inu ecosystem has over 1.5 million SHIB holders, alongside tens of thousands of BONE, LEASH, and TREAT wallets.

Specifically, the Shiba Inu Army boasts 1.518 million SHIB holders, 95,214 BONE holders, 30,647 LEASH holders, and 3,347 TREAT holders. 

However, most of this activity remains on the Ethereum blockchain. The team sees this as a missed opportunity. Accordingly, it is urging users to transition to Shibarium, where real utility and decentralized infrastructure are taking shape.

Push for Unity and Action

Lucie, the project’s marketing lead, responded to the data shared by Shibarium Updates. She emphasized that the Shiba Inu ecosystem is not built on a fragile base of 5,000 to 10,000 holders who could disappear overnight.

Lucie stressed that the community has weathered both the highs and the lows and that its resilience is only growing stronger. 

For her, the path forward involves collective movement toward Shibarium, where the tools are already available. The faster the community unites on this Layer 2 network, the faster the project accelerates, Lucie noted.

How to Join the Shibarium Movement

Meanwhile, the post from Shibarium Updates highlighted how users can begin migrating to Shibarium. The first step is adding the network through platforms like Chainlist. This requires using the correct RPC URL and Chain ID.

Several wallets are fully compatible with the Shibarium network. These include MetaMask, Rabby, Coinbase Wallet, and Tangem.

To carry out transactions on the network, users must fund their wallets with BONE. BONE serves as the gas token for Shibarium. It can be bridged from Ethereum or purchased directly on ShibaSwap.

Once connected, users can explore and interact with the ecosystem through Shibarium’s official block explorer, shibariumscan.io.

Shibarium Is the Hub for the Entire Ecosystem

The push to Shibarium isn’t just about SHIB. It involves every component of the ecosystem, including BONE, LEASH, TREAT, Shiboshis, and the decentralized applications around them. 

The team believes the true value of the project lies not just in holding tokens but in building and participating on-chain. Every wallet, every step forward, and every project launched on Shibarium contributes to the larger mission. This includes raising fees for SHIB burns to reduce its extensive supply.

FTX Petitions Court for Special Claims Process in 49 Countries with Crypto Restrictions

Lele Jima
-
0
FTX Petitions Court for Special Claims Process in 49 Countries with Crypto Restrictions

FTX has requested that a bankruptcy court approve a new process for handling claims of creditors residing in 49 countries potentially subject to restrictions. 

The defunct exchange had requested permission earlier this week in a motion filed in the Delaware Bankruptcy Court. Notably, Sunil Kavuri, a top representative of FTX’s creditors, called the public’s attention to the development, which he tagged as ‘disputed claims.’ 

FTX Recovery Trust warned that it may face obstacles in disbursing funds to creditors residing in 49 countries. Some of these countries either prohibit crypto trading or restrict distribution. These countries include China, Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, Cameroon, and Pakistan. 

China Accounts for 82% of Disputed Claims 

Notably, around 82% of all disputed claims are linked to creditors residing in China, according to Kavuri. China has been clamping down on crypto-related activities long before the FTX debacle in late 2022. Although FTX was not legally permitted to operate in China, residents still gained access to the platform via VPNs. 

However, FTX creditors based in China and 48 other countries now face major hurdles in recovering their claims due to the restrictions. In light of the circumstances, the FTX Recovery Trust has requested that the Bankruptcy Court approve a special plan to handle claims from users in these countries. 

Next Steps 

If approved, the Trust will seek legal counsel to determine whether it can proceed legally with the payouts in the affected jurisdictions. Kavuri emphasized that if the legal opinion is affirmative, the Trust will pay the eligible claimants in the affected countries accordingly. 

However, if the opinion confirms that the claimants reside in a region where crypto trading activity is prohibited, the claim will be tagged as ‘disputed.’ 

In this scenario, unsatisfied claimants can file an objection to prevent the outright forfeiture of the claim. The creditor representative stated that if the dispute is not resolved, the claimant will forfeit distributions and accrued interest. 

FTX Repayments 

Meanwhile, FTX has been making efforts to compensate investors under the court-approved reorganization plan. Despite the plan becoming effective in January 2025, the FTX Trust commenced repayment on February 18, 2025. It initially prioritized creditors whose claims were not up to $50,000, distributing 120% of their original claim value. 

Three months later, precisely on May 30, the Trust commenced payouts to creditors with claims exceeding $50,000. The payout, which lasted three business days, resulted in creditors receiving only 72.5% of their original claim value. 

FTX remains committed to fully compensating these creditors. The defunct exchange has scheduled the next repayment of the outstanding 27.5% of major claims for sometime around Q4 2025, 2026, or 2027. 

Bitcoin Whales Shed 500,000 BTC in a Year as Institutions Step In: Bloomberg

Sam Wisdom Raphael
-
0
Bitcoin Whales Shed 500,000 BTC in a Year as Institutions Step In: Bloomberg

Bitcoin whales have distributed thousands of BTC over the past year, as ownership of these tokens falls into the hands of institutions.

Notably, Bitcoin whales are carrying out one of the biggest hand‑offs in history. Specifically, over the last twelve months, these early, deep‑pocketed holders unloaded more than 500,000 BTC, worth north of $50 billion at today’s prices, according to Bloomberg’s review of 10x Research data. 

Bitcoin Whales Offloading Their Stash

Interestingly, large exchange‑traded funds, corporate treasuries, and other institutional buyers scooped up the supply almost coin‑for‑coin. This trend has now redrawn the power map of the Bitcoin market, currently worth nearly $2.1 trillion.

Early miners, offshore funds, and long‑dormant wallets once dominated Bitcoin’s supply. However, these same Bitcoin whales have now continued to reduce their exposure while funds and companies expand theirs, Bloomberg reports.

Institutions already control roughly one-quarter of the 20 million BTC that circulate today, a share that stood far lower in 2020. ETFs alone have absorbed inflows on par with the 500,000‑BTC offload, showing how neatly the market has balanced the sell‑side pressure.

Companies and ETFs Have Added 899,190 BTC Since July 2024

For perspective, data from Bitcoin Treasuries shows that a year ago, specifically in July 2024, private companies held 279,374 BTC, while public firms held 325,407 BTC. Also, ETFs had a cumulative balance of 1,038,999 tokens.

Today, these figures have only increased. Currently, private firms hold 290,883 BTC, with public companies increasing their stash to 848,608 tokens. Moreover, ETFs now boast a balance of 1,405,479. Together, these entities have amassed 899,190 BTC worth over $96 billion since July 2024.

Bitcoin Holdings Bitcoin Treasuries
Bitcoin Holdings | Bitcoin Treasuries

Speaking to Bloomberg, Edward Chin, co‑founder of Parataxis Capital, said some whales bypass regular exchanges by swapping BTC for equity‑linked deals through in‑kind transfers. Notably, this practice pushes coins quietly from anonymous owners to regulated institutions and increases network activity at the same time.

Interestingly, Bloomberg cited a chart from 10x Research, which shows a notable shift in holdings among on-chain addresses. Specifically, the balance on wallets holding 1,000–10,000 BTC fell from above 4.5 million coins in January 2023 to about 4.47 million in July 2025. 

By contrast, the balance on addresses with 100–1,000 BTC jumped from 3.9 million to a hefty 4.76 million. This shows that medium‑sized holders, which are often funds accumulating on behalf of clients, are adding to their stacks while the largest owners trim theirs.

Bitcoin Whales Balance
Bitcoin Whales Balance

Bitcoin Price Stalls as Volatility Fades

Notably, despite bullish developments, including growing corporate balance sheets and growing regulatory clarity, Bitcoin keeps bumping against its record of around $110,000. The Deribit 30‑day volatility gauge has dropped to a two‑year low, showing how institutional flows can smooth price swings that once defined the asset.

Speaking on this, Jeff Dorman, chief investment officer at Arca, likened modern Bitcoin to a steady dividend payer. He sees annual gains settling into a 10‑ to 20‑percent range, a far cry from the eye‑watering 1,400‑percent surge in 2017 but attractive for long‑horizon savers.

History shows what can happen if outflows intensify without equal demand. In 2018, a mere 2% net BTC outflow triggered a 74% price crash. Meanwhile, in 2022, a 9% drop in holdings led to a 64% collapse in price.

Fred Thiel, chief executive of miner MARA Holdings, noted that his firm still holds every coin it mines but warns the market sits at a delicate juncture. If whale selling resumes and institutional appetite cools, prices could lurch lower.

For now, institutional inflows continue to counterbalance whale sales. Markus Thielen, chief executive of 10x Research, believes this slow‑grind handover could run for years. As Bitcoin whales retreat and funds gain clout, the market begins to resemble more traditional asset classes featuring less hype.

At this point, investors may miss the fireworks of past bull runs, but many will welcome a calmer Bitcoin that still trends upward while slotting neatly into portfolios. Currently, Bitcoin trades for $107,886, down 1.5% in the last 24 hours.

1...643644645...2,638Page 644 of 2,638