The broader cryptocurrency market seems to be slowly turning bullish, with the price of Bitcoin reclaiming the $92,000 mark after weeks of trading beneath the level. Despite a rebound, a key metric shows that massive BTC inflows to the Binance exchange have not yet slowed down as whale activity heats up.
Whale-Sized Bitcoin Inflows Hit Binance
While the market is regaining upside traction, Bitcoin is experiencing a persistent and notable shift in exchange activity. In a CryptoQuant quicktake, Maartunn, a market expert and investor, has outlined a steady uptick in flows to Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, and there are increasingly whale-sized transfers.
Typically, such movement of BTC raises questions about a potential sell-off, strategic positioning, or preparing for volatility. However, considering the current market state, these major players may be gearing up for the market’s next phase rather than sitting on the sidelines.
Maartunn determined the shift in exchange activity after examining the Bitcoin Inflow Mean metric on the monthly time frame. The key metric shows the average BTC per inflow transaction, which is signaling that larger holders are now more active on the Binance crypto exchange. As seen in the chart, the Monthly Inflow Mean to Binance increased to 21.7 BTC in December 2025.
It is worth noting that the metric has been rising in the last 2 years, moving from 0.86 BTC in early January 2024 to 21.7 BTC in 2026. To put into context, this growth represents a 34x increase in the average size of each deposit. Maartunn highlighted that this trend started accelerating in early 2024, just around the period the Spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) were approved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (US SEC).
The timing suggests that larger organizations may have begun using Binance as an exchange alongside institutional adoption. However, this could just be a coincidence. As a result of the persistent inflow to Binance from large holders, the expert declares that the crypto exchange is poisoning itself as a key venue for whale flows.
BTC Purchase Firing Up Among Large Holders
Bitcoin accumulation among large holders or whales has also increased sharply lately. NoLimit, the analyst who predicted the Bitcoin bottom at $16,000 and its top at $126,000 in October 2025, reported that the cohort scooped up around 270,000 BTC, valued at roughly $23 billion over the past 30 days. This represents 1.3% of BTC’s total supply, and it is the largest net purchase from the investors in the last 13 years.
A key development in this buying activity is the period during which it is being conducted. Historically, this kind of whale concentration has occurred during uncertain times rather than at clear tops. While most individuals are preoccupied with other things and aren’t paying attention to inflows, this type of placement takes place quietly.
NoLimit stated that this does not mean that BTC gets to move upward tomorrow, but it does imply that investors with the longest time horizons are aggressively increasing their exposure. Meanwhile, investors in shitcoins are complaining about the coins not moving upward.
Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
