In a notable trend over the past two weeks, long-term Bitcoin holders and miners have offloaded $1.2 billion worth of Bitcoin, with little sign of buying interest resurfacing.
According to wallets monitored by CryptoQuant, it is likely that these whales used brokers rather than the open market. These traders have significantly decreased their holdings since BTC prices traded over $70,000 in late May.
Stablecoin liquidity has also continued to slow down, growing at the slowest pace since November 2023.
Shift to Alternative Investments
Analysts from CryptoQuant have highlighted a shifting focus among miners towards the artificial intelligence (AI) sector. With diminishing returns from Bitcoin mining post-halving, many are leveraging their existing high-powered computing resources to cater to the high demands of AI data centers. This pivot is a necessary shift to maintain revenue streams, especially as the crypto market shows signs of cooling.
Market Dynamics
This sell-off aligns with continuous net outflows from U.S.-listed Bitcoin ETFs, suggesting a broader shift in market sentiment.
Fidelity’s FBTC and Grayscale’s GBTC are among the key ETFs experiencing significant withdrawals, further indicating investor caution in the current economic climate.
As of the latest reports, Bitcoin’s price has declined from a high of $71,000 to $64,902.81 at press time, influenced by a strong U.S. dollar and a general shift away from riskier assets. This price adjustment comes amid speculation of a potential dip to as low as $60,000 if no new growth catalysts emerge.
Meanwhile, traditional stock indices have seen growth, contrasting with the crypto market’s downturn. This market behavior underscores the volatile nature of cryptocurrencies and the need for investors to remain vigilant in their investment strategies.
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