Bitcoin Whales Amass $3B as BTC Nears $80K, Santiment Reports

Large Bitcoin investors, or ‘whales,’ have accumulated over $3 billion worth of BTC in just two weeks, according to crypto analytics platform Santiment. This surge in accumulation comes as Bitcoin’s price eyes the $80,000 mark, with the cryptocurrency trading at $77,620 as of April 25, 2026.

Santiment highlighted that wallets holding between 10 and 10,000 BTC have added 40,967 Bitcoin since April 10. At the current market price, this haul is valued at approximately $3.17 billion. Bitcoin briefly touched $79,327 last week before retracing slightly, indicating ongoing resistance near the milestone $80K level.

Whale Accumulation Often Signals Bullish Momentum

Historically, whale behavior has been a key indicator of potential market direction. When large investors accumulate while retail traders take profits, it often signals the early stages of a bull market. Alongside whale activity, Santiment noted that smaller retail wallets (holding less than 0.1 BTC) have added 46 BTC over the same two-week period, worth around $3.56 million. However, these smaller moves pale in comparison to the impact of whale accumulation.

“Ideally, key stakeholders continue accumulating while retail investors begin to take profits,” Santiment stated in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter). “This combination is one of the strongest signals for a long-term bull run.”

Institutional Activity Adds to the Bullish Case

Institutional demand for Bitcoin is also on the rise. Andre Dragosch, head of research for Bitwise Europe, recently pointed out a noticeable uptick in interest from institutional players. This aligns with broader market trends, as Bitcoin-backed spot ETFs and corporate adoption continue to gain traction. Analysts view institutional participation as critical for sustainable price growth, given its ability to inject significant liquidity into the market.

Meanwhile, sentiment among Bitcoin investors has shifted dramatically. Santiment reported a rapid swing from “extreme pessimism” earlier in the week to “ultra FOMO mode” as Bitcoin approached $80,000. However, broader market sentiment remains cautious, with the Crypto Fear & Greed Index still in ‘Fear’ territory at a reading of 39 on Friday.

Key Resistance Levels and Market Outlook

Market participants are closely watching Bitcoin’s ability to break decisively past the $80,000 threshold. Santiment noted that while surpassing this level would likely spark renewed interest in Bitcoin, it ideally needs to happen without excessive optimism, which could lead to short-term reversals.

Prominent analyst Michael van de Poppe predicts that Bitcoin has “enough room” to climb toward $86,000, provided it maintains a critical support level of $75,000. At its current price of $77,620, Bitcoin is up 8.62% over the past month, with a total market cap of $1.57 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap.

Despite near-term caution, the combination of whale accumulation, institutional interest, and improving sentiment suggests Bitcoin could be building momentum for its next significant rally. Traders will be watching closely for a sustained breakout above $80,000 to confirm the start of a potential long-term bull market.

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