Bitcoin News Today: Crypto Crash Drives Whale Accumulation-But $10B Bitcoin Whale's Timed Bets Spark Mystery

Global crypto markets experienced a sharp correction following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of 100% tariffs on Chinese imports, triggering over $19 billion in liquidations within 24 hours. On-chain data reveals that while retail traders faced widespread losses, institutional and large-scale investors-commonly referred to as "whales"-were quietly accumulating exposure in select altcoins, signaling confidence in a potential market rebound.

Chainlink (LINK) emerged as a key target for whale accumulation, with large wallets increasing holdings by 22.45%, equivalent to $13.7 million in new positions. Nansen data indicates that the top 100 addresses added an additional $16.3 million in LINK, while public figure wallets and smart money addresses also showed net inflows. Technically, LINK trades near $17.70, forming a bullish RSI divergence and approaching key resistance levels. Analysts note that Chainlink's role in facilitating stable DeFi operations during the crash-such as Aave's $180 million in liquidations-reinforced its strategic appeal Forbes^[1].

Uniswap (UNI) also attracted whale attention, with large wallets adding 0.66 million tokens valued at $4 million. Santiment data shows Uniswap processed $9 billion in trading volume without network stress, underscoring its reliability. The token's price action aligns with an ascending triangle pattern, and a breakout above $6.70 could target $9.60 BeInCrypto^[2].

Dogecoin (DOGE) saw one of the most aggressive accumulations, with mega whales purchasing 0.82 billion tokens worth $156 million during the selloff. Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) metrics remained above zero, indicating sustained buying pressure despite the broader market decline. Technical indicators suggest DOGE could test $0.26–$0.30 if the $0.17 support holds TheStreet^[3].

Concurrently, a prominent "OG" whale with a $10.4 billion Bitcoin position opened leveraged short positions on Bitcoin and Ethereum ahead of the tariff announcement. According to Onchain Lens and Lookonchain, the whale executed an 8x leveraged short on $600 million of BTC and a 12x leveraged short on $330 million of ETH, netting over $160 million in profits. The timing of these trades-30 minutes before Trump's speech-has sparked speculation about insider knowledge, though the trader's identity remains unverified Lookonchain^[4].

The market crash erased $19.33 billion in leveraged positions, with Bitcoin alone accounting for $5.38 billion in liquidations. Hyperliquid reported the largest single liquidation at $203 million, while CoinGlass data estimates total losses between $30–$40 billion. Despite the volatility, analysts argue the selloff acted as a deleveraging event, potentially clearing the path for a recovery if macroeconomic conditions stabilize CoinGlass^[5].

Key indicators to monitor include on-chain flows from large wallets, perpetual futures funding rates, and divergence between spot and derivative prices. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions and central bank policy decisions will remain critical variables in shaping crypto's near-term trajectory.