Bitcoin Price News: Retail Exits BTC, Institutions Enter – CoinShares Inflows Hit $857.9M

Bitcoin price didn’t move much today, but the action still looks healthy. BTC trades above $81,000 at press time, down less than 1% from yesterday.

There are some interesting Bitcoin news pieces to dig into today, May 12. Let’s get into them.

*   Santiment: Bitcoin Holders Drop at Fastest Rate in Nearly 2 Years

• CoinShares: Crypto Funds See $857.9M Weekly Inflows

• Michael Saylor: Strategy Would Still Buy More Bitcoin Even If It Sells Some for Dividends

• Cryptorphic: Bitcoin at 200 EMA Resistance – Not Ideal for Longs

• Bitcoin Price Prediction for Today (May 12)

  • Bullish scenario (realistic)
  • Bearish scenario (realistic)
  • Likely scenario

• FAQs

Santiment: Bitcoin Holders Drop at Fastest Rate in Nearly 2 Years

Santiment reported a striking figure. Bitcoin’s total number of non‑empty wallets shrank by 245,000 in just five days. That is the fastest decline since the summer of 2024. The chart (attached) shows the holder count dropping from above 53.98 million to roughly 53.16 million in early May 2026. The slope is steep. This is likely retail traders taking profit after the run to $82.8K.

Capitulation is a key ingredient for bull runs. Wallets can drop out during a price fall (fear of losing more) or during a price rise (expecting prices not to go higher). Either way, when holders leave, the remaining supply consolidates into the hands of the highest conviction participants.

Source: X/@SantimentData

These people decided they are not selling at current prices. The effective liquid supply shrinks. With fewer coins actively circulating, even modest new demand can have an outsized impact.

The June–July 2024 comparison is worth noting. Back then, over 964,000 wallets exited over five weeks. That did not mark a downturn. It helped lay the foundation for the bull run that followed. If history repeats, the wallets exiting now are handing their positions to the kind of long‑term holders who fuel the next leg up.

CoinShares: Crypto Funds See $857.9M Weekly Inflows

CoinShares reported that digital asset investment products saw $857.9 million in inflows last week. Total assets under management rose to $160 billion. Bitcoin led with $706.1 million in inflows. Ethereum saw $77.1 million, Solana $47.6 million, and XRP $39.6 million. Short-Bitcoin products saw $14.4 million in outflows – the largest this year. Investors are closing bearish bets as sentiment improves.

Source: X/@WuBlockchain

The report attributes the inflows to positive sentiment around the CLARITY Act, which heads for a Senate committee vote on May 14.

Related Bitcoin news: Grok AI Predicts the Bitcoin Price If the Clarity Act Passes Before July 4

Michael Saylor: Strategy Would Still Buy More Bitcoin Even If It Sells Some for Dividends

Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said in an interview with CoinDesk that even if the company sells some bitcoin in the future to fund dividend payments, the overall impact would be “immeasurable.” Why? Because Strategy still plans to buy significantly more bitcoin than it may sell.

Saylor also responded to criticism that the company buys bitcoin near local tops. He said Strategy uses periods of peak MSTR equity premium to swap equity exposure for additional bitcoin, increasing bitcoin per share. The bottom line: any sell-side is tiny compared to the buy-side.

Cryptorphic: Bitcoin at 200 EMA Resistance – Not Ideal for Longs

Analyst Cryptorphic posted a daily chart (attached). Bitcoin trades just below the liquidity zone he mentioned yesterday, which also aligns with the 200 EMA on the daily timeframe. In his opinion, this is not an ideal area to consider longs.

A breakout and daily close above it on the first attempt is less likely. If that happens, the chart setup would be invalidated.

The chart shows price ranging between $81,500 and $82,500. The 200 EMA sits near $82,000. The 100 MA is lower, around $79,000. Volume has been declining on the latest push up. Cryptorphic’s view is cautious: resistance is heavy, and a clean break above $82K needs a strong catalyst.

Bitcoin Price Prediction for Today (May 12)

Below are our latest BTC price predictions for today:

Bullish scenario (realistic)

BTC holds above $81,000 and grinds up to test $82,000 again by daily close. A close above $82,200 would signal strength, but breaking $83,000 today is unlikely without Clarity Act news. The 200 EMA is a tough wall. Expect a slow push, not a breakout.

Bearish scenario (realistic)

Price fails at $81,800 and drops to $80,500 or $80,000. Support at $80K should hold because ETF inflows and holder capitulation provide a floor. A drop below $79,500 would be a surprise. Most likely, the downside is limited to $80K-$80,500.

Likely scenario

Range trading between $80,500 and $82,000 for the day. No clear catalyst until May 14 vote. The 200 EMA resistance keeps bulls in check, but holder capitulation and ETF inflows keep bids strong. Expect sideways choppy action with a slight downward bias toward $81,000.

All in all, Bitcoin holds above 81K as holders drop at the fastest rate in two years – a classic supply-tightening signal. CoinShares reported $857.9M in weekly inflows, led by Bitcoin.

Saylor remains committed to accumulating more BTC even if Strategy sells a tiny fraction. The next two days will set the stage for the May 14 Clarity Act vote.

FAQs

 **Why are Bitcoin holders dropping❓**

Retail traders are taking profit after the rally to $82.8K, closing wallets at the fastest rate since June 2024.

 **What will the CLARITY Act do for Bitcoin❓**

It will give Bitcoin a clear regulatory framework, classifying it as a digital asset separate from securities. This clarity will likely trigger a massive wave of institutional investment and could push the price above $150,000.

 ****What is the prediction for Bitcoin in 2026**❓**

The short-term is uncertain, but many large institutions, including JPMorgan, Citi, and Bernstein, project a year-end target in the $150,000–180,000 range. The primary risk to this outlook is a failure of the CLARITY Act, which could potentially trigger a big 35% correction below the $50,000 level.