Ethereum Whale Takes Record Profits After Nearly 9-Year Holding Period

An early Ethereum investor has been selling part of their large holdings after nearly nine years. According to blockchain data, this whale bought 3,000 ETH in 2017 at an average price of $18.8 and recently started taking profits.

The wallet withdrew 3,000 ETH from Gemini on September 29th, with an initial investment of $56,500. So far, it has sold 2,000 ETH at an average price of $3,096, recovering $6.19 million, and 1,000 ETH remains in the wallet.

The profit-taking comes alongside unusually strong third-quarter gains for Ethereum. CryptoRank quarterly data showed Ethereum posted a 72.7% return in the third quarter of 2026, a record high. This rise also topped the 59.2% gain in the third quarter of 2020.