Cryptocurrency whales are reportedly rotating capital into low-priced tokens on the Binance Smart Chain and Solana networks, leading to short-term price movements in several micro-cap assets, according to blockchain analytics and market data reviewed by Santiment. While Bitcoin and Ethereum remain in consolidation price ranges near their weekly highs, traders are increasingly allocating funds to altcoins. At the time of reporting, Bitcoin was trading slightly above $95,000, and Ethereum was holding near $3,300.
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Despite Bitcoin briefly surging beyond $97,000, its market structure is more range-bound and lacks a clear trend.
Fartcoin Struggles to Sustain Bull Run Amidst BSC Token Gains
Santiment data indicates that Fartcoin was the most accumulated token by smart money over the last 24 hours. However, the Solana-based token failed to sustain its January 14 surge above the $0.45 resistance zone, falling below both its seven-day and 30-day simple moving averages. Technical indicators on TradingView's Moving Average Convergence Divergence histogram are flashing sell signals, suggesting a potential fading of its upside momentum. FARTCOIN’s Relative Strength Index reading is at 46, indicating that the token was neither oversold nor showing signs of a relief bounce before it experienced a 2.23% decline in the last 24 hours, leaving room for further downside.
On the Binance Smart Chain, memecoins Formula 1, trading under the ticker CHAMPAGNE, and Trump Mog recorded significant gains of 1,099% and 719%, respectively, within a 24-hour period. According to CoinMarketCap, top-performing memecoins in the last day included U and BYTE, which posted gains exceeding 117%. ATLAS and EGL1 climbed more than 50%, while RIZZMAS, HOSICO, and SORA advanced with profits ranging from 24% to over 40%. Several wallets are actively purchasing low-priced BSC tokens within a narrow timeframe, although trading volume remains modest across the board.
Whale Activity Dominates Crypto Market Dynamics, According to CryptoQuant Analysts
The current market is in a consolidation phase characterized by structural rebuilding, according to two CryptoQuant contributors. While the underlying bias may be conditionally bullish, short-term overheating risks persist, potentially causing traders to hesitate before engaging in a buying spree on large-cap assets. CryptoQuant’s spot and futures taker charts reveal subdued retail activity, with large coin holders exerting influence through "Big Whale Orders." With fewer retail traders, whales are strategically deploying capital into low-liquidity assets, anticipating that smaller inflows will generate disproportionate price movements.
The crypto market has seen an addition of approximately $120 billion in total capitalization since the beginning of the business week, supported by a 6% price uptrend in the largest coin by market capitalization. January has experienced political developments that have surprisingly benefited digital assets, including the US invasion of Venezuela and the stalling of a Senate-sponsored market bill markup. Bitcoin's rally has been bolstered by strong ETF inflows and institutional demand, pushing its market capitalization closer to benchmarks seen in precious metals like silver and gold. Concurrently, Ethereum staking has reached a record level with 36 million ETH locked.
In the derivatives markets, approximately 25,000 Bitcoin options contracts are set to expire today, with a notional value near $2.4 billion. Although this amount is slightly larger than the previous week's expiry, Crypto Twitter anticipates a muted impact on spot markets and an even slower day in derivatives trading. The 90-day Spot Taker CVD has shifted back to Taker Buy Dominant, indicating that holders are consistently buying even though most tokens exhibit minimal price appreciation. This behavior suggests that sell-side pressure is constrained, and available supply is being absorbed at lower levels.
"My understanding is that there’s a possibility for us to touch the $93.8K area again, which is the Trader Realized Price at the moment. For a good and healthy market environment, Bitcoin has to hold this level for us to find new highs again. That said, it’s totally healthy and nothing out of the normal if we have this retest, but it may not happen as well," said Julio Moreno, CryptoQuant head of research.