Crypto whales accumulate as bear market nears late stage: CryptoQuant

Large cryptocurrency holders are accumulating Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) as valuations approach levels associated with the final stage of a bear market, according to CryptoQuant.Rising whale balances during price weakness can reduce available supply and concentrate ownership among larger holders, the blockchain analytics company said in its latest Smart Money report seen by Cointelegraph.Bitcoin whale holdings, excluding exchanges and mining pools, rose to about 3.06 million BTC from 2.87 million BTC in December 2025, with accumulation accelerating after Bitcoin dropped below $60,000 in June.Source: CryptoQuantEthereum wallets holding 10,000 to 100,000 ETH collectively held a record 19.6 million ETH, while wallets holding more than 100,000 ETH added roughly 1.8 million ETH since mid-2025.In XRP markets, average spot order sizes remained in CryptoQuant’s “big whale” category as the token traded between $1 and $1.20. However, neutral 90-day taker cumulative volume delta suggested passive absorption rather than aggressive buying, the report said.Related: Bitcoin may have bottomed before its traditional cycle low: Grayscale’s PandlValuations point to late-stage bear marketCryptoQuan...