Ethereum News Today: Crypto Whales Amass $430M in BTC, ETH, Betting on Fed-Driven Recovery

Crypto whales have deployed over $430 million in strategic bets on Bitcoin and Ethereum ahead of the Federal Reserve's critical rate decision, signaling optimism in the digital asset market despite lingering macroeconomic uncertainties. On-chain analytics platforms and traders highlighted aggressive positioning by high-net-worth investors, with leveraged longs and accumulation trends suggesting confidence in continued price recovery.

A prominent "smart money" trader, identified as wallet 0xc2a3 with a 100% historical win rate, has expanded its exposure to 1,483 BTC ($170.46 million) and 40,044 ETH ($167.35 million), generating $30 million in realized profits, according to a Beincrypto report. Meanwhile, wallet 0xb9fe—known for a 25x leveraged ETH position taken during the October 11 flash crash—has initiated take-profit orders while maintaining 15,689.44 ETH in open longs, as the Beincrypto piece noted. Other whales, such as 0x71a0 and 0xC50a, have diversified into altcoins like Solana (SOL), PUMP, and FARTCOIN, with unrealized profits exceeding $5 million and $2.1 million, respectively, the report added.

Analysts project Ethereum could reach $10,000 by 2027–2028, with Santiment noting a rebound in accumulation by large ETH holders (100–10,000 ETH wallets), who have repurchased roughly one-sixth of coins sold between October 5–16, according to a CoinDesk report. The Long Investor further outlined a $13,500 ETH target by 2029, framing a multiyear bullish trajectory. However, immediate hurdles remain, with ETH hovering near $3,940 and struggling to break through the $4,000 resistance level.

The Fed's Oct. 29 rate cut—lowering the federal funds rate to 3.75%–4.00%—triggered mixed market reactions. While the decision halted quantitative tightening (QT) and was widely anticipated, Bitcoin initially dropped 5% to $109,600 following Chair Jerome Powell's hawkish remarks, which downplayed certainty about a December cut, a CoinDesk article reported. The Fed's dovish pivot later stabilized the market, with crypto liquidations totaling $795 million as leveraged positions were unwound, a Yahoo Finance report noted.

Traders adopted defensive strategies ahead of the rate decision, with derivatives platforms reporting $550 million in 24-hour liquidations, according to a Yahoo Finance article. Whale 0x71a0, for instance, closed a 5x ETH position for $1.63 million in profits and maintained a 10x long on SOL worth $100 million, as detailed in a Yahoo Finance story. Analysts like Ali Martinez emphasized that Bitcoin's range-bound behavior—oscillating between $108,000 and $115,000—reflects cautious positioning ahead of macroeconomic clarity, as TradingView noted.

Despite short-term volatility, market participants view the Fed's policy shift as a tailwind for crypto. Ending QT, which had been shrinking the Fed's balance sheet since 2022, signals a higher tolerance for inflation and could fuel risk-on sentiment, according to a Decrypt analysis. However, uncertainties persist, including the government shutdown's data blackout and evolving U.S.-China trade dynamics, which could influence Bitcoin's trajectory into 2026.

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