Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Whales Shift Holdings to Institutions, Signaling Market Maturation

Whales moved 15,054 Bitcoin (BTC) worth $1.9 billion into exchanges on July 18, 2025, according to blockchain analytics firms. The largest single transfer involved a decades-old Satoshi-era wallet that had held 80,000 BTC since 2011. This wallet sent 40,000 BTC to Galaxy Digital on July 15 and 40,000 more on July 18, with over 10,000 BTC subsequently distributed across Binance, Bybit, Bitstamp, Coinbase, and OKX. The total value of the 24-hour inflow reached $1.18 billion, with analysts noting the timing-just before a weekend-heightened concerns about potential price volatility due to reduced liquiditytitle3^[3].

Additional movements included a separate wallet transferring 1,550 BTC ($193.75 million) to Binance following Bitcoin's record high of $125,000. This transfer, attributed to a wallet linked to Alameda Research, added to the broader trend of whales liquidating positions. Over the same period, institutional players continued to accumulate Bitcoin, with 14 public companies increasing their holdings by a combined 5,268 BTC. Marathon Digital and CleanSpark added 373 and 308 BTC, respectively, while (Micro) Strategy expanded its reserves by 196 BTCtitle2^[2].

The surge in whale activity coincided with mixed market dynamics. Bitcoin's price dipped 6% from its July peak to around $115,700, as traders braced for potential support tests near $112,000–$115,000. On-chain data from Lookonchain and EmberCN highlighted that approximately 12,000 BTC ($1.38 billion) remained untraded, likely awaiting over-the-counter (OTC) sales. Analysts were divided on the implications: while some warned of downward pressure from thin weekend liquidity, others argued that institutional buyers could absorb the remaining supply without significant price impactstitle3^[3].

The movements underscored the shifting role of whales in the current cycle. Unlike past bull runs, where large holders often sold to retail investors, this time, whales were transferring assets to new institutional or long-term whale wallets. CryptoQuant's Ki Young Ju noted that "institutional adoption is bigger than we thought," with holders now outnumbering traders. This trend, combined with rising spot ETF inflows and regulatory progress, suggested a structural shift in market dynamicstitle3^[3].

However, short-term volatility persisted. The $1.18 billion inflow into exchanges occurred amid broader market corrections, with Bitcoin's price hovering near $116,000. Traders monitored key support levels, as a breakdown below $115,000 could validate bearish concerns. Conversely, a rebound above $116,000 might signal resilience driven by institutional buying. The weekend's movements added to the uncertainty, with analysts cautioning that even if remaining BTC entered public order books, the impact could be muted if absorbed by OTC channelstitle3^[3].