The Quiet Power Grab: How Major Investors Are Resisting a Tumultuous Market

While the market remains confused amid the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision, a clear pattern is emerging from chain data—large crypto holders are not buying into doom and gloom and are actively increasing their positions. This situation sends a critical signal to on-chain data followers.

I. The Reality Reflecting the Market Today

On the early morning of December 11, the Federal Reserve is expected to cut the benchmark rate by 25 basis points, reaching a 3.50%-3.75% range. In theory, crypto should benefit from such a monetary environment.

But the reality is more complicated. Bitcoin fell below the $91,000 mark on December 11, with a 1.11% intraday decline. More alarmingly, BTC formed one of the most concerning technical patterns in recent weeks—the “bear flag” on the daily chart. If a breakdown occurs below the $90,000 support level, analysts warn of a possible cliff drop toward the $67,000 territory, representing a 25% loss from current levels.

Market turmoil is clear: macroeconomic tailwinds, but technical headwinds. This paradox has prompted sophisticated players to make drastic decisions.

II. Crypto Whales Are Not Waiting—They Are Buying

Amid uncertainty, three large addresses executed a coordinated buying spree that could signal insider confidence.

The “1011 Insider Whale” increased its ETH holdings with an aggressive move. Within just a few hours on December 11, this address added 20,000 ETH using a 5x leverage long position. The total ETH holdings now amount to 100,985 units, with a market value of approximately $335 million at the current $3,100 per ETH price. The average entry point was $3,158, and unrealized gains have reached $17.05 million, representing a 25.45% return.

In the same timeframe, another whale address known as “Insider Whale” mirrored this strategy. This address added 19,108.69 ETH units, bringing total holdings to 120,094.52 units, worth approximately $392 million. The average entry price was $3,177.89, with unrealized profits of about $10.13 million.

The oldest detail: both set liquidation prices at $2,015 and $2,234—very low prices indicating fearless investing.

III. The Deeper Strategy Behind the Moves

The “BTC OG Insider Whale” shows a more sophisticated playbook. On December 1, as the market declined, it collateralized ETH holdings to borrow over $220 million in USDT. The funds were placed on a trading venue while waiting for the right moment.

Three days later, on December 7, the whale spent $70 million to open a massive ETH long position. This is a classic event-driven strategy—positioning before a major macro catalyst, betting that the Federal Reserve announcement will trigger a market reversal.

The track record speaks for itself. Since August 21, this whale has made 7 major contract trades, with 6 winners and only 1 loser. This includes a successful short play before the October crash and precise timing during the November rebound.

IV. Expanding Positions Across Multiple Asset Classes

Whales are not concentrating solely on ETH. Portfolio diversification is evident in cross-asset accumulation patterns.

On the early morning of December 11, a significant whale withdrew 101,365 SOL from a major trading venue, worth about $13.89 million at $140.24 per SOL. The total SOL holdings of this address reached 628,564 units, with a combined market cap of $84.13 million. Most are held in private wallets, and some are staked for yield generation.

The withdrawal of tokens from exchanges to self-custody is a traditional signal of long-term conviction—it indicates these assets are not being sold immediately.

In the payment settlement narrative, XRP has become the star of whale accumulation. Over the past 30 days, addresses holding between 100 million and 1 billion XRP have cumulatively added 970 million units. Holders with over 1 billion XRP have accumulated an additional 150 million. This pattern aligns with the growing visibility of the XRP ETF narrative.

V. The Market Structure Continues to Evolve

Large whale positions are disrupting the equilibrium in the ETH distribution landscape.

With the accumulation of the “1011 Insider Whale” and “Insider Whale,” combined holdings have exceeded 220,000 ETH units—worth over $700 million at current market prices. This concentration has two possible consequences:

First, it provides liquidity foundation and a price floor during selling pressure. Second, such high concentration could become a systemic risk if a sudden reversal occurs.

The situation is complex. While whale buying is aggressive, broader market indicators are sending conflicting signals. Bitcoin spot ETF inflows have stalled, and last week showed a consistent outflow pattern reaching $60 million on December 9 alone.

VI. The Simplest Truth: The Risk-Reward Calculus

Whale positioning involves significant risks that all market participants should clearly understand.

The 3-5x leverage used by whales is not extreme in crypto context, but enough to trigger rapid cascade liquidations during sharp volatility. For the “1011 Insider Whale,” the liquidation trigger at $2,015 means that a mere 38% drop from current levels would force the entire position to close.

The bullish narrative is easy, but the supporting volume is underwhelming. The key question is whether the market can attract fresh capital inflows, because without new buyers, whale buying pressure alone may not sustain a multi-month rally.

The future depends on the market’s ability to attract institutional participation beyond the few large players already positioned at lower levels.