Crypto Whales Step Up Accumulation as Bear Market Nears End

CryptoQuant has reported an increase in crypto whale accumulation as the bear market nears its end. According to the firm, when large holders of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and XRP accumulate more during periods of price weakness, it can signal a potential bottom in the market.

The trend is observed in all three major cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin whale holdings excluding exchanges and mining pools have risen to approximately 3.06 million BTC from 2.87 million BTC in December 2025. This increase accelerated after Bitcoin fell below $60,000 in June.

Ethereum has shown a similar trend, with wallets holding between 10,000 ETH and 100,000 ETH reaching an all-time high of 19.6 million ETH. Additionally, wallets holding more than 100,000 ETH have added about 1.8 million ETH since mid-2025.

The XRP market also displays whale activity. While XRP traded between $1 and $1.20, the spot average order size remained in CryptoQuant's 'large whale' range. The 90-day taker cumulative volume delta was at a neutral level, indicating passive absorption of supply rather than aggressive buying.