Understanding the movements of the giant whales is the first lesson for surviving in the crypto world in 2026.

Do you remember the big liquidation on October 10, 2025? One event was enough to cause a storm in the entire market, but it also exposed an uncomfortable truth—the battle between whales and retail investors is happening on completely different battlegrounds.

The current market landscape is undergoing intense reshaping. The early "veteran" whales are continuously reducing their positions, while new institutional whales such as ETF and listed company treasury funds are gradually stepping in to buy. These new players have vastly different thinking patterns, operational rhythms, and ultimate goals compared to the older generation of whales.

Complexity is also increasing rapidly. Seeing a large transaction from a certain address might mean long-term positioning, temporary rebalancing, or preparing for derivatives positions. Blindly following the "big players' buy-in" often ends badly. Meanwhile, these top players are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics—leveraging derivatives, using complex on-chain operations to hide true intentions, and artificially creating volatility for profit.

For ordinary investors, a few tips might be helpful:

First, don’t just focus on single large transfers. Look at comprehensive on-chain data such as exchange net positions and stablecoin holdings trends to piece together the real picture. Second, consider why whales are doing this. Has the macro interest rate outlook changed? Has there been a fundamental shift in the project? These deeper logical reasons are far more important than simply "he bought" or "he sold." Lastly, and most importantly—strictly follow your own position management and stop-loss plans. In a game where information is always asymmetric, this is the only shield to protect yourself from being swept away by whale waves.

Interestingly, amidst the volatility dominated by capital whales, there is another type of "whale" worth noting—those driven by community consensus. Just like some communities dedicated to promoting public welfare and education, the "benevolent whales" formed by countless individuals are steadily and continuously driving positive change.