Ethereum whales accumulate 660 million dollars as retail demand weakens

Source: Yellow Original Title: Ethereum Whales Accumulate $660 Million as Retail Demand Weakens

Original Link: Whale cryptocurrency wallets accumulated approximately 220,000 Ethereum tokens over the past week, totaling around $660 million at current prices.

Large holders increased their positions while retail traders reduced their exposure to the second-largest cryptocurrency.

What happened

Wallets holding between 10,000 and 100,000 Ethereum tokens now control over 22 million coins.

Whale accumulation occurred during a period of price weakness, with Ethereum trading near $2,930.

Balances on exchanges continued to decline even during recent price drops. The reduction suggests that the cryptocurrency is moving toward self-custody, staking contracts, or long-term storage instead of preparing for immediate sale.

Crypto analyst Joseph Young noted that Ethereum accumulation by whales is at an all-time high. Purchases are happening outside of peak price conditions, indicating long-term positioning by funds and high-net-worth participants.

Ethereum spot ETF outflows added selling pressure this week. The combination of institutional withdrawals and retail hesitation contrasts sharply with whale buying behavior.

Why it matters

Ethereum is trading approximately 41% below its all-time high of August 2025 at $4,953.

The divergence between whale accumulation and retail selling creates opposing forces in the market.

About 70% of the global net positions in Ethereum on a major exchange are currently long in the past 30 days, according to Hyblock Capital data.

The Estimated Leverage Ratio reached an all-time high of 0.611 last week. Traders are deploying increasing leverage relative to exchange reserves.

The proportion of Ethereum supply on exchanges fell to 0.032, its lowest level since September. The decreasing set of cryptocurrencies available for sale could support prices if demand increases.

Whale buyers tend to accumulate when they believe a favorable setup exists, rather than engaging in short-term trades. Sustained buying during market weakness suggests confidence in Ethereum’s longer-term prospects despite current price difficulties.