The crypto markets were sent into a frenzy this week as two large transfers of Bitcoin worth over $148 million were made to Coinbase from unknown wallets, as reported by Wu Blockchain on Twitter.
On August 15th, two chunks of 2,582 BTC and 2,854 BTC, worth approximately $73 million and $75 million respectively, were moved from the same mysterious wallet address 3MqUP6G1daVS5YTD8fz3QgwjZortWwxXFd to Coinbase. This Bitcoin had previously been shuffled around this wallet address over the past week before ultimately ending up at the cryptocurrency exchange.
Experts speculate that these large transfers could signify a single Bitcoin whale preparing to sell off their massive stash. Crypto whales are individuals or entities that hold disproportionately large amounts of cryptocurrency, often Bitcoin. When whales decide to sell large portions of their holdings, it can flood the market and drive down prices.
However, the motivation behind these transfers remains unclear. It’s possible the wallet owner is simply consolidating their funds or transferring to Coinbase for custody purposes. The fact that the Bitcoin had been shuffled around prior to the Coinbase transfers suggests efforts to obfuscate its origins.
Doge2014 raises 500K in days celebrating Dogecoin. Make potentially big profits and get in on exclusive airdrop!
Show more +Nonetheless, the market impacts of a potential whale sell-off could be significant. With Bitcoin struggling to hold above $20,000 in recent months, another steep drop could erode confidence in the already volatile cryptocurrency. For now, the crypto world awaits the unknown whale’s next move.
You can review our Bitcoin price prediction here.
We recommend eToro
Wide range of assets: cryptocurrencies alongside other investment products such as stocks and ETFs.
Copy trading: allows users to copy the trades of leading traders, for free.
User-friendly: eToro’s web-based platform and mobile app are user-friendly and easy to navigate.