Cardano News Today: Institutional Adoption vs. Whale Selloff: Cardano's Price Struggle Intensifies

Cardano (ADA) faced intensified downward pressure in late October 2025 as large holders offloaded significant portions of their token holdings, exacerbating a market correction amid heightened volatility. Data from multiple on-chain analytics platforms revealed that wallets holding between 1 million and 10 million ADA sold over 560 million tokens in four days, valued at nearly $500 million. This massive distribution, coupled with broader bearish sentiment, pushed ADA's price below $0.82, testing critical support levels and delaying its ascent toward the $1 psychological threshold Coinedition^[1].

The selling activity intensified after ADA's inclusion in the Grayscale Crypto 5 ETF, which began trading on NYSE Arca. While the ETF's addition marked a milestone for institutional adoption, it did not immediately translate into price strength. Instead, whale activity dominated short-term dynamics, with large investors securing gains amid uncertainty over the token's near-term trajectory Coinedition^[1].

Technical analysis highlighted a fragile market structure. ADA's price hovered near $0.823, with immediate resistance at $0.842 and support at $0.805–$0.810. A sustained break below $0.805 could expose ADA to further declines toward $0.754, while a rebound above $0.842 might signal renewed bullish momentum . Open interest in ADA futures contracts surged to $1.57 billion, reflecting growing speculative activity, though spot outflows indicated cautious sentiment among short-term holders .

Institutional developments, however, provided a counterbalance to the bearish narrative. ADA's inclusion in the S&P Broad Crypto Index Fund and Hashdex's Nasdaq Crypto Index U.S. ETF underscored growing institutional interest. The Cardano Foundation also outlined a 2025 roadmap featuring expanded governance delegation, a $10 million real-world asset initiative, and increased marketing budgets, signaling long-term ecosystem growth .

Despite short-term weakness, some analysts remained optimistic about ADA's long-term potential. Javon Marks identified a macro pattern mirroring the 2020–2021 bull cycle, suggesting potential targets of $2.77, $3.29, and $3.74 if historical trends repeat . However, immediate technical indicators, including a Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 45 and a bearish-moving average crossover, indicated continued downside risk .

Cardano's on-chain metrics further reinforced bearish sentiment. The long/short ratio dropped below 1 to 0.8829, with 53% of traders betting on price declines. Active address counts and network participation also showed signs of fatigue, limiting the likelihood of a sustained rally without renewed buying pressure .

The market's mixed outlook reflects the tension between institutional adoption and speculative selling. While ADA's inclusion in major ETFs and ecosystem upgrades offer long-term upside, immediate volatility and whale-driven distribution continue to weigh on its price action.