Cardano Whales Accumulate 150M ADA Ahead of Smart Contract Upgrade

Large investors in the Cardano (ADA) ecosystem have recently accumulated over 150 million ADA tokens, signaling potential market activity in the near future. According to on-chain analytics, these large holders, often referred to as “whales,” have been steadily increasing their stake in ADA over the past weeks, with a sharp rise in volume observed during the last 10 days [1]. This movement suggests increased confidence in the long-term fundamentals of Cardano, particularly as the network continues to roll out key upgrades and development milestones.

The accumulation activity appears to be occurring across multiple large transactions, some of which involve transfers from older wallets to newly created addresses. Analysts have noted that this behavior is often seen before significant price movements, as whales attempt to build positions ahead of market events [2]. While no official announcements have been made by the Cardano development team, the timing of the accumulation coincides with the recent release of a major smart contract upgrade, which is expected to enhance the platform’s utility and developer adoption [3].

Notably, the buying pressure from these large holders has occurred in a market environment where broader crypto assets have remained relatively range-bound. Despite the accumulation, ADA has not seen a corresponding rise in price as of yet. This may indicate that the whales are still in the accumulation phase and are not yet looking to influence the price through market sales [4]. However, if these tokens are eventually moved into exchanges or sold, it could trigger a more pronounced price reaction.

While some analysts have speculated that the whale activity could be a precursor to a broader bull move in ADA, it is important to distinguish these observations from forecasts. There is no definitive evidence that the whales are holding the tokens with the intent to dump or drive the price higher. The actual intention behind the accumulation remains speculative and subject to further on-chain analysis [5].

Technical indicators currently reflect a neutral market sentiment. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stood at 46.15, indicating balanced conditions, while the MACD remained near zero, showing no clear bullish or bearish momentum. Bollinger Bands also pointed to restrained volatility, and ADA/USD traded at 0.8423 on August 22, 2025, recording a 3.6% decline over the preceding period. The narrow price range and minimal intraday fluctuations suggest that the market is consolidating after the recent accumulation [1].

The reduction in circulating supply could potentially create upward pressure on ADA’s price. Whale activity has historically been a decisive factor in shaping market trajectories, and the current accumulation may position the asset for a more significant move if demand increases. However, the direction of the broader price action will depend on whether whale-led strategies are reinforced by broader market demand and ecosystem developments [5].

Source:

[1] Cardano Whale Activity Analysis (https://www.onchainfx.com/post/cardano-whale-accumulation)

[2] On-chain Behavior Before Major Price Moves (https://blog.bitcoinanalysts.com/on-chain-behavior-before-major-price-moves)

[3] Cardano Smart Contract Upgrade Released (https://cointelegraph.com/news/cardano-smart-contract-upgrade-released)

[4] ADA Price Action Analysis Q3 2025 (https://www.coinmetrics.com/ada-market-analysis-q3-2025)

[5] Analyst Report on ADA Whale Behavior (https://cryptosignal.io/report/cardano-whale-behavior-analysis)