Crypto Whales Increase Holdings in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP Amid Market Uncertainty

Updated 09:00 UTC

New Insights on Bitcoin Activity

• As of late March 2026, Bitcoin's daily active addresses fell to approximately 655,900, a significant decrease of over 30% from the peak of around 938,600 in August 2025.
• This level of active addresses has not been seen since the 2018-19 bear market.
• By early August 2026, active addresses showed a slight recovery, ranging between 660,000 and 675,000.
• Analysts caution that the drop in active addresses does not necessarily indicate an imminent price surge, but rather a retreat of speculative traders.
• The current market structure is notably different from 2018-19, with increased institutional participation and changes in how Bitcoin is held, particularly through ETFs.
• The disconnect between Bitcoin's price stability and declining on-chain activity suggests that the market may be supported by a smaller group of committed participants.

Updated 09:30 UTC

Latest Market Insights

• Total Market Cap: The total crypto market cap is currently near $2.20 trillion, reflecting a 0.72% increase since Sunday.
• Bitcoin Price: Bitcoin is holding steady around $65,200, supported by positive ETF inflows.
• Bitcoin Dominance: Bitcoin dominance is above 57%, indicating strong institutional demand.
• ETF Inflows: There have been zero outflow days for Bitcoin ETFs in August, with approximately $853 million added in the week leading to August 7.
• CPI Impact: The upcoming CPI report on Wednesday is critical, with expectations of a 3.4% headline and 0.2% core inflation rate.
• Market Analysis: The total market cap must defend the $2.20 trillion level to aim for $2.26 trillion, while a break could expose lower support levels.
• Pump.fun (PUMP): This token has gained about 16%, reaching $0.0028, and is approaching a potential breakout point.

Updated 10:00 UTC

Latest Developments in Bitcoin Holdings

• Marathon Digital Holdings sold 23,093 BTC for approximately $1.6 billion in the first half of 2026.
• As of June 30, 2026, Marathon still holds 35,577 BTC, valued at around $2.1 billion based on a spot price of $58,524.
• A significant transaction in March 2026 involved the sale of 15,133 BTC for about $1.1 billion, partly to manage convertible note debts.
• Marathon's strategy has shifted from purely accumulating Bitcoin to a more balanced approach, utilizing its treasury for operational costs, debt repayment, and expansion into energy and AI infrastructure.
• In Q2 2026, Marathon extracted an additional 2,422 BTC, increasing its operational hashrate to 70.3 EH/s.
• Revenue for Q2 2026 was reported at $174.9 million, but the company faced a net loss of approximately $611 million due to mark-to-market adjustments on its digital asset portfolio.
• In August 2026, Marathon pledged 18,750 BTC as collateral for a $600 million loan, maintaining a loan-to-value ratio below 60% to avoid selling Bitcoin at unfavorable prices.

Updated 11:32 UTC

Latest Insights on XRP

XRP is currently trading around $1.03, having experienced a decline of over 5% in the previous week. It remains below its 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), indicating a bearish technical structure.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is near 39, and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) shows a negative signal, suggesting ongoing selling pressure. The critical support level for XRP is at $1.00, which buyers must defend to prevent further declines.

To improve its short-term outlook, XRP needs to reclaim the 50-day EMA at $1.10. Currently, it is positioned below all major moving averages, reflecting weakness across various time frames. Any recovery attempts may face selling pressure as the price approaches these moving averages.

A sustained daily close above $1.10 would indicate improving short-term momentum, while a close below $1.00 could lead to increased selling pressure and a deeper correction. The next significant resistance levels are at $1.18 (100-day EMA) and $1.30.

Updated 11:32 UTC

Latest Insights on Ethereum

Ethereum (ETH) is currently trading around $1,918, maintaining a mildly bullish outlook. It is positioned above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $1,864, but faces resistance at the 100-day EMA near $1,924.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 56, indicating steady buying momentum without being overbought. A decisive move above the 100-day EMA could pave the way for a target of $2,000, which is a significant psychological resistance level.

Key resistance levels include:

• 100-day EMA at $1,924
• Psychological resistance at $2,000
• 200-day EMA at approximately $2,124

If Ethereum fails to maintain support above the 50-day EMA, it could face a deeper correction, with the next significant support level at $1,385.

Updated 11:33 UTC

New Insights on XRP Price Predictions

A prediction market indicates a 65% chance of XRP falling below $1 by the end of August, aligning with technical analysis showing a bearish trend.

XRP has formed a head-and-shoulders pattern, suggesting a potential price drop, with significant sell volume observed recently.

Whales are heavily shorting XRP, with a whale-retail divergence score of -6.3, indicating professional traders are 96% more short than retail investors.

Spot outflows for XRP have decreased dramatically, dropping from $56 million to $4.3 million, reflecting a 92% decline in retail buying optimism.

The critical support level for XRP is at $1.02, which coincides with the 0.618 Fibonacci level. A break below this could lead to a further decline towards $0.92.

For bullish momentum to return, XRP needs to reclaim levels above $1.09, with $1.16 being the key resistance to negate the bearish setup.

Updated 12:33 UTC

Latest Developments on Empery Digital

• A Delaware Court has removed anonymity protection for Empery Digital stockholders amid a proxy fight.
• Empery Digital's stock price has plummeted 72% over the past year, currently trading at $2.84.
• The company has seen a decline of 68% in its Bitcoin holdings, from 4,018 BTC to just 1,279 BTC.
• Outstanding corporate loan agreements restrict 954 of the remaining 1,279 BTC held by Empery Digital.
• Defending against ATG Capital has cost Empery Digital over $7.8 million in legal fees as of June 30.
• ATG Capital holds approximately 14.7% of Empery Digital's shares, which has increased due to the company's buybacks.
• Empery Digital has announced a pivot to AI and does not plan to purchase more Bitcoin in the future.

Updated 12:34 UTC

New Insights on Hedge Funds and Bitcoin

• For the first time in years, hedge funds have turned bullish on Bitcoin, placing bets using futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).
• This shift was highlighted by CryptoQuant, indicating that hedge funds on CME have flipped to net long BTC futures.
• Historically, hedge funds were net short due to a basis trade strategy, which kept them structurally short for years.
• The Coinbase Premium Index shows that US institutional demand for Bitcoin remains weak, with a negative reading indicating that American buyers are not actively purchasing Bitcoin.
• Open interest across all exchanges is currently near $23 billion, close to the lowest level of the past year, down from about $48 billion last October.
• The current market conditions suggest caution, as bullish hedge fund bets are not confirmed by strong institutional demand or rising open interest.