Bitcoin Price Today: Whales Accumulate 16,622 BTC in May as Strategy Hints at Selling

Bitcoin price action stayed healthy today. Bitcoin rose another 0.5% in the last 24 hours, now trading around $81,300. Over the past week, BTC is up 5.5%. The crypto community is already talking about a “bull run” and “altseason.” Some altcoins are pumping hard, including Toncoin and MemeCore (M).

But the real story of the Bitcoin price today is under the hood: whales are buying while retail is selling.

Saylor Hints at Selling Bitcoin – But Here’s the Math

MicroStrategy (now Strategy) reported a massive $12.54 billion net loss for Q1 2026, driven by Bitcoin’s price decline. New FASB accounting rules require the company to mark holdings to market each quarter.

Strategy currently holds 818,334 BTC, valued at approximately $66.4 billion.

But here’s the twist: executives signaled a shift from a strict “never sell” stance to actively managing BTC to improve bitcoin-per-share value, including potential sales to fund dividends.

The math, simplified:

  • Step 1: Holdings → $66.4B in BTC
  • Step 2: Obligations → $1.5B/year (~$125M/month)
  • Step 3: Coverage → $66.4B ÷ $125M = 531 months (~44 years)
  • Step 4: Sell pressure → $125M ÷ $66.4B = ~0.18% per month

What most people miss:

While potentially selling ~0.18%, Strategy also raises capital (via equity and instruments like STRC) and uses it to buy more BTC.

👉 The real equation:
Sell a tiny fraction → raise capital → buy more Bitcoin → grow BTC per share.

They are turning it into a capital engine.

Santiment: Whales Accumulate, Retail Dumps – Classic Bull Signal

Data from Santiment shows a textbook bullish setup.

So far in May:

  • 10–10K BTC wallets (whales & sharks): +16,622 BTC (+0.12%)
  • <0.01 BTC wallets (retail): -28 BTC (-0.05%)

This divergence is key. Historically, major bull runs start when smart money accumulates while retail exits.

Source: X/@SantimentData

Chart analysis: The Santiment chart shows Bitcoin price climbing from $72K in early April to $81.6K by May 4. Whale holdings (10–10K BTC wallets) increased steadily throughout April and into May, adding +16,622 BTC. Meanwhile, small wallets (<0.01 BTC) declined slightly, selling 28 BTC. The divergence is clear: large players are buying while retail is selling.

Bitcoin Price and Chart Analysis

Let’s look at the MACD chart provided (weekly timeframe). The data shows:

DateMACD LineSignal LineHistogram
Apr 96,8005,000+1,800
Apr 127,4005,000+2,400
Apr 157,5005,000+2,500
Apr 187,6005,000+2,600
Apr 217,8005,000+2,800
Apr 247,9005,000+2,900
Apr 277,7005,000+2,700
Apr 307,6005,000+2,600
May 38,0005,000+3,000

👉 Key observations: The MACD line (blue) sits well above the signal line (red). The histogram turned positive in early April and kept expanding. By May 3, the histogram hit +3,000 – the highest reading in the table. This is a strong bullish signal on the weekly chart. Momentum is building, not fading.

Source: CryptoCompare.com

Bitcoin Price: Key Levels to Watch

TypeLevelNotes
Immediate support$80,000Psychological round number
Strong support$77,000Previous resistance turned support
Major support$75,00050‑day MA area
Immediate resistance$82,000Local high from May 4
Key resistance$84,000200‑day MA
Major resistance88,00088,000–90,000Top of the range from January

BTC broke above $80K on May 4 for the first time in three months, reached $81.7K, and pulled back slightly to $81.3K. Dips are getting bought, and the 5.5% weekly gain reflects steady accumulation.

Related BTC news: Bitcoin Price to $85K? Analyst Calls It ‘FUD’

Bitcoin Price Scenarios

🟢 Bullish

  • BTC breaks $82K, then tests $84K (200 MA).
  • A weekly close above $84K opens the move toward $88K–$90K.
  • Whale accumulation continues.

🔴 Bearish

  • Rejection at $82K. MACD histogram starts shrinking.
  • Loss of $80K leads to $77K, then potentially $75K.
  • Retail panic could accelerate downside.

⚖️ Most Likely

  • Range between $80K–$82K short term.
  • MACD is bullish, but $84K remains a major wall.
  • Expect choppy price action until a catalyst appears.

Overall, whales accumulated 16,622 BTC in May while retail sold. Strategy may sell just 0.18% monthly, but continues accumulating through capital inflows. Weekly MACD is strongly bullish.

Bitcoin sits at $81.3K, up 5.5% on the week, but the 200-day MA near $84K is the level that decides the next major move.

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Petar Jovanović
Petar Jovanović

As the Head of Content at Captainaltcoin, I bring years of experience in the crypto industry. With a strong belief in the potential of the web3 market since 2017, I'm passionate about sharing valuable insights and knowledge. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and let's discuss the exciting world of cryptocurrencies and decentralized technologies!

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