Whales Send 11,000 BTC Hourly to Exchanges, CryptoQuant Warns

CryptoQuant reported that large Bitcoin holders have recently deposited roughly 11,000 BTC per hour into exchanges, the highest hourly inflow since late December 2025. The analytics firm identified larger-than-usual deposit sizes and concentrated transfers as the main features of the activity.

Julio Moreno, head of research at CryptoQuant, highlighted that the average deposit size climbed to about 2.25 BTC, a level the firm associates with transfers by large holders rather than small retail traders. CryptoQuant’s data show that large deposits accounted for about 40% of total inflows, up from roughly 10% a few days earlier. Several sizable transfers landed on Binance, including multiple deposits that exceeded 1,000 BTC.

CryptoQuant compared the recent flows with past episodes. In January 2026, average deposits into exchanges rose to nearly 2 BTC and Bitcoin subsequently fell from about $100,000 to $60,000. In March 2026, hourly inflows reached about 9,000 BTC and large deposits made up 63% of inflows before another decline. The firm noted the current 11,000 BTC hourly reading is higher than the March figure but does not guarantee a repeat outcome.

Onchain data point to a resistance area near the realized price around $76,800. CryptoQuant reported that rallies often slow or reverse near that zone because many holders use it as a price to recover capital. The firm identified a next major support level near $67,600 if Bitcoin fails to sustain gains above the realized-price zone.

Profit-taking metrics from onchain tracking show investors have realized about $1.14 billion in gains so far, with daily realized profits averaging near $500 million. CryptoQuant noted daily realized profits tend to rise above $1 billion in larger market sell-offs.

Derivatives activity shows additional dynamics. Short positions were squeezed as Bitcoin moved above $70,000, and new long positions opened above $73,000. Funding rates moved from negative to positive and the taker buy/sell volume ratio remained above 1, indicating bullish activity in futures markets. CryptoQuant contrasted bullish derivatives positioning with rising exchange inflows and larger deposit sizes.

CryptoQuant is a South Korea–based analytics provider that tracks onchain flows and derivatives indicators. The firm reported the recent inflow and deposit-size patterns have preceded past price declines and flagged the current concentration of large transfers as a condition that could increase selling pressure if holders choose to liquidate positions.