Whales Move Billions to Binance Amid Weak Crypto Buying Demand: Analyst Insights

In the past week, major cryptocurrency holders have transferred billions of dollars' worth of digital currencies to Binance, a move typically seen as preparation for sales. This comes even as signs of new buying demand within the market remain sluggish.

Key Takeaways:

Around $2.4 billion in Bitcoin and Ether has been moved by crypto whales to Binance, marking a significant inflow for the exchange.
Stablecoin flows have remained steady, indicating weak purchasing power despite the influx of whale deposits.
The decrease in accumulation and lower withdrawal rates suggest increasing selling pressure and dwindling long-term holding interest.

Data from CryptoOnchain reveals that large crypto holders, known as whales, deposited approximately $2.4 billion into Binance, with the funds nearly split between Bitcoin and Ether. This influx represents Binance's largest net deposit amount in the last month, consisting of $1.33 billion in Bitcoin and $1.07 billion in Ether.

Whales Move Billions to Binance While Crypto Buying Demand Remains Muted: Analyst

Rising Whale Inflows Amidst Stalled Stablecoin Demand

Nevertheless, analysts highlight a concerning disparity in this situation. According to CryptoOnchain, "Importantly, this influx of risk assets was not matched by an increase in new buying power," pointing out that stablecoin flows were mostly stagnant at around $42 million for the week.

Many of these transactions consisted of transfers between the Ethereum and Tron blockchains rather than new capital entering the market. Large sums moved from private wallets to exchanges are often seen as preparations for selling or as collateral for derivatives.

The lack of significant stablecoin inflows suggests a limited ability for sustained buying pressure in the market.

Additional analysis indicates a wider slowdown in accumulation. Bitcoin accumulation has effectively paused since October, while the average size of deposits to Binance has risen considerably. Recently, the average transaction size depositing onto the exchange increased from about eight to ten BTC earlier this year to a range between 22 and 26 BTC. This indicates that large holders are transferring significant amounts of Bitcoin onto the platform.

Conversely, outflows from Binance have weakened, with the average size of withdrawal transactions dropping into a so-called "suppressed range." Analysts note that these exchange outflows have fluctuated between 5.5 and 8.3 BTC, suggesting that fewer coins are being moved to cold storage—a behavior commonly associated with long-term holding.

CryptoOnchain commented, "This means that large-scale accumulation and the transfer of Bitcoin into cold storage by significant holders have dramatically decreased." The combination of rising inflows, weakening outflows, and stable stablecoin demand raises concerns that selling pressure might grow.

Bitcoin Projected to Enter Accumulation Phase in Early 2026

Analyst Linh Tran believes that Bitcoin entered a corrective phase toward the end of 2025, following a peak near $126,000 and subsequently dropping about 35% to around $80,000. In a note to Cryptonews.com, she noted that this decline represents a structural change in the market dynamics, with Bitcoin increasingly influenced by macroeconomic factors, institutional investment, and regulatory measures rather than retail speculation.

Additionally, Abra CEO Bill Barhydt suggests that Bitcoin could gain traction in 2026 as loosening monetary policies introduce new liquidity into global markets, reigniting risk appetite after a lengthy period of financial strain. He observes that the US central bank is setting the stage for a more flexible policy, pointing to early indications of renewed balance sheet support and describing the environment as "quantitative easing light," with the Federal Reserve stepping in to bolster demand for government debt.