Whales Drain 80T SHIB From Exchanges, Liquidity Tightens

Large investors are reshaping Shiba Inu's market as massive withdrawals drain exchange liquidity. Since December 5, whales have taken unprecedented SHIB volumes. As a result, analysts observe less selling pressure as long-term holders increase their control.

According to TKResearch Trading, net exchange outflows amounted to 80 trillion SHIB. During this time, exchange balances dropped very sharply from 370.3 trillion to 290.3 trillion tokens.

Wallet-level analysis identifies the degree of concentration of activities from newly created addresses. In the last 60 days, fresh wallets took out about 82 trillion SHIB coins. Most tokens have left major exchanges, such as Coinbase, at prices close to $0.0000085.

This amounted to about 28% SHIB then held in exchange. As a result, analysts speak of emerging signs of supply exhaustion. With fewer tokens to instant sale, short-term liquidity has weakened significantly. As a result, price reactions to large trades could worsen.

In addition, the withdrawals eliminated almost one week of normal exchange liquidity. This reduced immediate sell-side pressure considerably. Therefore, SHIB managed to dodge more severe losses even as market uncertainty was present.

Currently, the price of Shiba Inu is around $0.0000086 on January 12, 2026. The price was slightly weak during the last 24 hours. Nevertheless, analysts attribute the whale accumulation to keeping a narrow range of consolidation. Without such outflows, deeper corrections seemed probable.

Additionally, taking assets off exchanges can be a long-term positioning move. Typically, whales move tokens around for holding, staking, or decentralized finance. Therefore, current activity implies confidence, and not distribution.

Why Did This Happen?

Current updates have shown increasing imbalances between supply and potential demand. With fewer SHIB on exchanges, big orders may have a strong impact on prices. Consequently, the risks of volatility in the future are higher if the sentiment changes suddenly.

Industry observers also point to strategic competition between large holders and markets more generally. As whales bundle up supplies, retail traders have thinner order books. Therefore, abrupt buying or selling could cause exaggerated movements in prices.

According to TKResearch Trading, these flows represent deliberate accumulation strategies. Analysts point to similarities to previous phases of accumulation among meme-based assets. However, sustainability relies on sustained growth in demand. Without new buyers, reduced liquidity is not the only guarantee for upward momentum.

What Are Analysts Watching Next?

Looking forward, tight liquidity makes upside and downside risks equally huge. Therefore, long-term accumulation and organic demand are a must. Without them, the concentrated holdings may eventually unwind.

Overall, the evolving liquidity structure of SHIB highlights the increasing whale influence. The battle going on between accumulation and demand will be the defining factor on the direction of the price. Market participants are wary but vigilant because the supply dynamics continue to change.