Bitcoin, Ether and XRP Whales Accumulate as Holdings Climb; CryptoQuant Signals Late-Stage Bear Market

According to CryptoQuant's Wednesday report, large crypto holders are accumulating bitcoin, ether, and XRP positions, with whale balances climbing significantly despite price pressures. Bitcoin whale holdings (excluding exchanges and mining pools) have increased to approximately 3.06 million BTC from a December 2025 low of 2.87 million BTC, the firm noted. CryptoQuant's head of research, Julio Moreno, stated that the activity signals the bear market is likely in its final stage, though prices may still fall further.

Ether whales holding 10,000–100,000 ETH have "relentlessly" accumulated, reaching a record 19.6 million ETH from about 14 million ETH in mid-2025. Mega whales holding over 100,000 ETH have added approximately 1.8 million ETH since mid-2025, raising their combined balance to around 4.6 million ETH. For XRP, whales are "quietly positioning" with neutral cumulative volume delta, suggesting passive absorption rather than aggressive buying. Moreno noted: "This is what accumulation looks like in a bear market: strong hands absorbing weak-hand supply."