Bitcoin is now trading at $78,251, down 1.5%, as the market pulls back from recent highs. While CryptoQuant data shows that short-term Bitcoin whales are sitting on an unrealized gain of $9.07 billion.
With BTC now near $78,000, the key question is whether these large unrealized gains turn into selling pressure. Is there enough spot demand to absorb that selling?
STH Whale Sits at $9.07B Unrealized Profit
CryptoQuant data shows that Bitcoin short-term holder (STH) whales are sitting on a record $9.07 billion in unrealized profit, the highest level since the metric began tracking in 2016.
These whales have held their BTC for 155 days or less, making them more likely to sell when prices move sharply.
While these holders are sitting on big gains, CryptoQuant analysts warn that the profits could quickly turn into selling pressure if Bitcoin falls. The risk was clear on September 5, when STH whale profits dropped to $7.51 billion after BTC fell by just under 2%.
“Unrealized profit at that scale is exposure.”
He added that short-term whale holders can turn into sellers when prices drop because they are among the fastest groups to take profits.
Can ETF Demand Absorb Whale Selling?
If STH whales start taking profits, strong buying will be needed to absorb the extra supply. Therefore, this makes spot demand important for Bitcoin’s next move.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin ETFs are showing some strength, as spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded around $1 billion in inflows over the past three days, suggesting that institutional buyers are still adding BTC. These inflows could help absorb some of the selling if short-term whales start taking profits.
However, supply remains a concern. Binance holds around 685,000–687,000 BTC, while seven day average exchange net inflows have risen to about 593 BTC.
At the same time, Binance’s Bitcoin open interest recently topped $10 billion, showing that derivatives are still playing a major role in the recovery.
$78K Support Could Decide the Next Move
As of now, Bitcoin is facing a key support zone around $78,000–$79,000. Holding this area would show that buyers are still stepping in as traders take profits.
If Bitcoin breaks below this zone, the price could fall toward$77,000. A deeper drop could then take BTC toward $74,000, which some analysts see as the likely low for the current correction.
If the $74,000 level holds, Bitcoin could regain strength and resume its broader bullish trend.
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