Meanwhile, Bitcoin whales are said to be building up their holdings, Michael Saylor continues to purchase Bitcoin, and Arthur Hayes and Tom Lee remain optimistic on the future of Bitcoin, so here is a big question – is this the start of Bitcoin’s next recovery, or a short-term rebound?
Bitcoin’s biggest investors are giving mixed signals as the cryptocurrency has been unable to catch the momentum going up. Bitcoin’s largest traders have reportedly stacked around 15,000 BTC in just 72 hours, while U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw renewed withdrawals.
The reported accumulation takes place as bitcoins are trading at around $83,000–$84,000, far below their October 2025 all-time high of over $126,000.
At the same time, Bitcoin’s market leaders, such as Michael Saylor, Arthur Hayes and Tom Lee, are still bullish on Bitcoin’s future.
The real question is whether the buying of whales is going to be able to overcome institutional selling pressure.
In just three days, Bitcoin whales are reportedly accumulating 15,000 BTC.Bitcoin whales reportedly accumulate 15,000 BTC in just three days.
According to recent reports, large Bitcoin investors have been able to buy some 15,000 BTC over the past 72 hours, suggesting that some of the top investors are exploiting the lower prices.
The reported purchase coincides as bitcoin tries to claw its way back from a volatile market in months.
Events in which whales gather are typically the ones that catch the interest of the public, as they have the ability to affect the liquidity and investor mood in the market. If a significant percentage of Bitcoin is deposited into long-term wallets, it can be viewed as a sign of confidence by the traders.
The number of 15,000 BTC reported is, however, an estimate made by the on-chain data and not necessarily a confirmation of a single coordinated purchase. The classification of wallets and the exchange of custody between their addresses or movements between addresses may make the analysis of whale’s actions difficult.
Nevertheless, the timing is interesting.
Smaller investors continue to be cautious while some large investors look forward to a higher exposure.
That, of course, has raised an important question: could it be that the big Bitcoin investors are preparing for a gradual recovery, perhaps even before the market gets better?
As Bitcoin ETF outflows indicate, the institutional picture is emerging differently.
Whale aggregations are just the tip of the iceberg.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States have seen a noticeable increase in selling pressure, making it unclear how robust institutional buying is.
Today’s trading sessions have seen huge withdrawals, with investors positioning themselves with caution in regulated investment products.
It is a disparity that is important because Bitcoin’s market dynamics have evolved significantly since the availability of spot ETFs.
In addition to corporate treasury demand and exchanges and long-term holders, institutional fund flows have become an important source of demand.
Bitcoin can have conflicting pressures when ETF investors exit and whales enter.Bitcoin can have conflicting pressures when ETF investors exit and whales enter.
There may be a portion of the available supply absorbed by large-wallet buying, but the continued selling of the ETFs can result in declining demand and difficulty sustaining the recovery.
The upcoming few trading sessions may then give better insights into whether there is an increase in institutional investor participation or another decline in the holdings.
While Michael Saylor continues to buy bitcoin, Strategy’s purchases are slowing.
Michael Saylor is still one of the biggest corporate backers of bitcoin.
On October 12, Strategy reported that it had added another 250 BTC worth about $21.5 million, elevating its total holdings to 848,250 BTC.
The average price per bitcoin for the purchase was around USD 86,194.
Prior to the announcement, Saylor shared a familiar tweet on X:
Featuring a happy man holding up an empty orange bin, it translates to “There’s always room for more orange.
The declaration further solidified his lifelong plan to hold on to Bitcoin.
But investors can’t afford to overlook this other thing.
The latest acquisition made by Strategy was considerably smaller as compared to some of their earlier acquisitions. The company has also been allocating substantial amounts of its funds towards buying back its preferred stocks.
This indicates that though Bitcoin is Strategy’s point of focus, the immediate investment allocation priorities are more complicated than buying as much BTC as possible.
The difference is significant for Bitcoin investors.
Saylor’s buying activity proves confidence, but at least part of that is because of a trend of smaller purchases, which may not indicate the acceleration of institutional buying.
Bitcoin’s prospects for the long-term remain strong, according to Arthur Hayes.Arthur Hayes is still bullish on Bitcoin’s future, even for the long haul.
The co-founder of BitMEX, Arthur Hayes, remains bullish on Bitcoin’s long-term trend.BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes is still bullish on Bitcoin’s long-term trend.
Hayes expressed optimism in a recent interview in October that Bitcoin will eventually hit $1 million, without providing any timeline or deadline for that event.
His overall thesis is on global liquidity, monetary policy and institutional demand.
Hayes has also attributed the rising power of Bitcoin ETF transactions.
This is especially true in today’s climate.
If whales continue to pile up one by one, then there may need to be a major and lasting institutional inflow.
Don’t mistake his long term expectations for his expectation that Bitcoin will bounce back in the near term.
His overall investment case may ultimately be correct, but the market may continue to be volatile.
Tom Lee believes that he is seeing the indications of a new Bitcoin bull market. Tom Lee says he is seeing the signs of a new Bitcoin bull run.
Fundstrat’s Tom Lee also has a positive outlook on the cryptocurrency market.
Early October, Lee stated that Bitcoin could be in a new bull market cycle after the market’s long bear market.
His perspective is on institutional participation, increasing adoption and the potential to make market conditions better.
The recent ETF selling activity shows, however, that the bulls are not always greeted with an immediate rise in prices.
Investors would be looking for continued interest and easier liquidity as well as a solid rally above the recent resistance for support for Lee’s thesis to become more solid.
Bitcoin’s next big price change is elusive until those changes come through.
Bitcoin Price Prediction: Will BTC hit $87,000?
Buyers will need to retake key psychological and recent support and resistance levels at least in the short term to dictate Bitcoin’s direction.
After Bitcoin failed to break up from the $87,000 level in the recent trading session, the $87,000 area is an important upside reference.
Any recovery above $87K could help turn sentiment around and get the $90K psychological level back in reach.
The downside is $80,000 is a round number that is under the microscope.
If the price resumes its downward trend below $80,000, it may spark additional worries regarding continued selling pressure, especially as ETF outflows continue to gain momentum.
These levels are market scenarios and not support or resistance levels.
The bull case is the accumulation of whales combined with renewed ETF demand.The bull scenario is: whale accumulation + renewed ETF demand.
If whale accumulation is continued and ETF flows move into positive numbers a stronger recovery could appear.
Further benefits may come from further corporate purchases, liquidity improvement and easing of the macroeconomic pressures on the economy.
If it continues to trend higher off of those resistance levels a recovery could be more optimistic.
The bearish scenario is when institutions sell more than whales buy.The bearish scenario is when institutions sell more than whales buy.
The bearish case has to do with continued ETF redemptions and a stronger U.S. dollar and higher Treasury yields.
This could have a negative impact on demand for risk assets, such as Bitcoin.
But if huge holders start moving significant amounts of BTC to exchanges for possible selling, the pressure may accelerate further downhill.
But exchange transfers would not be enough to prove that those coins were exchanged for sale.
What should bitcoin investors be on the lookout for next?
Investors should not depend completely on bullish predictions, rather they must concentrate on measurable growth.
High levels of net inflows on the Bitcoin ETF would be a better indicator of renewed institutional demand.
Whale wallet activity: The accumulation by identifiable large holders is a positive indicator for the bull market scenario, but wallet activities need to be carefully interpreted.
Corporate Bitcoin purchases: Strategy and other treasury companies are key players in Bitcoin’s institutional market.
Bitcoin might be next gearing up for a significant move, with the Federal Reserve’s expectations and inflation data, as well as interest rates and expectations, and strength of the U.S. dollar in play.
A price recovery above the recent resistance level would be a more reliable signal of a recovery than a price spurt.
In conclusion, Bitcoin whales are poised to take advantage of the next bull market if it happens.Finally, Bitcoin whales are bracing themselves ahead of the next bull market.
Bitcoin is on the verge of a crucial time.
Some of the whale holders might find value at current prices, with reports indicating that 15,000 BTC are being accumulated by advanced whales.There are reports that some of the advanced holders, commonly known as whales, may find value at current prices, as they are believed to be holding 15,000 BTC. Michael Saylor continues to hold onto to his Bitcoin investments with Strategy, and Arthur Hayes and Tom Lee are bullish on the asset’s future.
However, the institutional ETF outflows are a compelling argument.
The whale buying and the limited number of traders who invest in ETFs with caution, along with the uncertainty surrounding the economy, creates a challenging landscape for analyzing the market with just one indicator.
For the next big Bitcoin rally to take place, it will probably need more than some bullish predictions. It will require continued demand, an improvement in liquidity, and validation from actual market activity.
So investors must ask themselves now: Are the Bitcoin whales stacking up for a recovery or buying into a market that has more downside to it?
The next sessions can be very helpful clues.
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Disclaimer: This article is only for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as investment advice; cryptocurrency markets are volatile and investors should do their own research before making an investment decision.
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