Institutional Investors Quietly Accumulate Bitcoin and Ethereum Amid Market Volatility

In the midst of market volatility, institutional investors are quietly accumulating Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and XRP. According to CryptoQuant's 'Smart Money' report, large wallets have been steadily increasing their reserves since December 2025. This trend is particularly evident in BTC, where whale reserves have risen from 2.87 million to approximately 3.06 million.

On Ethereum, mid-tier wallets holding between 10,000 and 100,000 ETH reached an all-time combined high of 19.6 million ETH. Giant wallets, which hold over 100,000 ETH, absorbed nearly 1.8 million additional ETH since mid-2025.

The increased concentration of assets among institutional investors has led to a decrease in the available supply on the market. CryptoQuant notes that this phenomenon is often accompanied by a buying impulse in the next cycle. However, it emphasizes that the market remains susceptible to further downside risks in the short term.