Bitcoin faced renewed selling pressure after large holders sold the recovery rally during early March trading. Wallets that accumulated during a geopolitical panic quickly moved to secure profits, limiting momentum despite continued retail dip buying.
via app.santiment.net
Santiment data showed that wallets holding between ten and ten thousand Bitcoin accumulated heavily between Feb. 23 and March 3. Those purchases occurred during the sharp market reaction linked to the Iran war sell-off. The buying window covered the deepest part of the correction and the early phase of recovery.
That strategy reversed once the asset rebounded. When Bitcoin approached its weekly peak, the same wallets began distributing holdings to the market. Santiment records showed those addresses sold roughly sixty-six percent of the coins they had accumulated during the panic phase.
Retail traders reacted in the opposite direction. Smaller wallets increased holdings while the market retraced below key psychological levels. Santiment analysts described the behavior as a typical late-stage correction pattern where retail demand absorbs liquidity from larger sellers.
CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost reported a sharp spike in exchange inflows from short-term holders. Data showed that twenty-seven thousand Bitcoin moved to trading platforms within a single day. Those coins had previously been in profit, which suggested investors moved funds to realize gains.
27K BTC Hits Exchanges in One Day. Source: X
Such inflows often precede temporary market pressure because they increase the supply available for sale. Traders frequently transfer coins to exchanges only when preparing to liquidate positions.
Market sentiment also weakened during the same period. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index fell to twelve, placing sentiment firmly inside extreme fear territory. That reading marked one of the lowest levels since the October crash.
Glassnode data added another layer of pressure. Around forty-three percent of the circulating Bitcoin supply currently sat below its acquisition cost. Many of those holders used rallies to exit positions near break-even levels rather than extend exposure.
That supply created a consistent ceiling whenever price attempted to move higher. The most recent rally stalled as underwater holders sold into strength while whales secured profits from earlier accumulation.
On-chain indicators suggested the broader market structure remained mixed rather than outright bearish. MVRV data indicated the average Bitcoin investor held moderate unrealized gains rather than excessive profits.
Bitcoin MVRV Ratio &Realized Price. Source: CryptoQuant
That reading implied limited euphoric behavior across the network. Realized price levels also indicated a cushion beneath current market valuations. Such support often slows rapid sell-offs because investors remain broadly profitable.
Exchange-traded funds recorded weekly inflows exceeding five hundred sixty million dollars. Those purchases absorbed part of the supply entering exchanges from short-term holders.
However, network valuation indicators pointed to underlying fragility. The Network Value to Transactions ratio measured above twenty-three, signaling elevated valuation compared with network usage. When this metric climbs, prices often rely more on capital flows than transaction demand.
Energy markets also influenced macro conditions. Oil prices climbed sharply, raising concerns over energy inflation and prolonged high interest rates. Higher borrowing costs reduce liquidity across financial markets, which historically pressures risk assets.
The interaction between macro tightening and institutional flows created a strategic tension in Bitcoin’s market structure. External liquidity supported price stability even while organic transaction activity remained relatively weak.
Traders now watched whether the market could clear the recent high that triggered whale selling pressure. Failure to reclaim that level could expose the lower boundary of the range, while sustained demand may eventually absorb underwater supply and shift momentum upward.
The post Bitcoin News: Bitcoin Whales Sold Rally as Retail Bought the Dip appeared first on The Market Periodical.


