CoinDesk
The number of Bitcoin wallets holding at least 10,000 BTC has climbed to 90, a six-month high, according to analytics firm Santiment. The count has risen by six, or 7.1%, over the past eight weeks, while wallets holding 10 to 10,000 BTC have accumulated about $1.5 billion in BTC since July 29. Micro wallets have been shrinking through August as a roughly $120 million Coldcard hardware-wallet exploit and delays to the U.S. Clarity Act add uncertainty for smaller holders.
Why it matters
The data point to a supply rotation, with coins moving from smaller holders into the wallets of the largest investors. Santiment calls these participants the market's “strong hands” and says similar concentration has historically preceded major price moves.
The split is notable because accumulation is not limited to the biggest wallets. The 10 to 10,000 BTC group, covering whales and sharks, is adding exposure while micro wallets retreat. The Senate has pushed the long-awaited crypto market-structure bill to September, extending a source of regulatory uncertainty.
Market impact
Bitcoin was trading near $63,800. Santiment's earlier comparison put the odds of a move above $70,000 ahead of a drop below $60,000 as larger holders accumulated, and the latest whale count strengthens that upside-leaning read.
The signal is not a guarantee of a recovery. Investors will be watching whether the 90-wallet count keeps rising, whether the 10 to 10,000 BTC cohort continues adding, and whether selling by micro wallets stabilizes as the Clarity Act timeline develops.
Frequently asked questions
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How much BTC have wallets holding 10 to 10,000 BTC accumulated since July 29?
Wallets in that range accumulated about $1.5 billion in BTC since July 29.
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What is driving the decline in Bitcoin's micro wallets?
Santiment links the retreat to uncertainty from the roughly $120 million Coldcard hardware-wallet exploit and delays to the U.S. Clarity Act, which the Senate pushed to September.
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Why does the shift from micro wallets to whales matter for Bitcoin?
It marks a supply rotation toward larger holders. Santiment says similar concentration has historically preceded major price moves.
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Which price levels did Santiment use for its Bitcoin outlook?
Santiment said the accumulation pattern raised the odds of a move above $70,000 versus a drop below $60,000.
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What would confirm that Bitcoin's supply rotation is continuing?
Investors can track whether the 90-wallet count keeps rising, the 10 to 10,000 BTC cohort continues adding, and micro-wallet selling stabilizes as the Clarity Act timeline develops.
Benjamin Cowen
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