Jakarta, Pintu News – The movement of whales or large holders of crypto assets is often an indicator of long-term market sentiment. Accumulation activity by whales presents an important signal that smart money sees fundamental value or growth potential in a particular asset.
Towards the beginning of 2026, on-chain data shows a number of coins that were the focus of large accumulations by whales, reflecting confidence in the long-term outlook despite the market correction. References to on-chain analytics, whale alerts, and large wallet movements show how whales shape market expectations for certain assets.
Bitcoin remains the main asset that whales are collecting ahead of 2026. The latest on-chain data shows whales and “sharks” added more than 47,000 BTC in early December after a two-month period of heavy selling, indicating a change in whale mode from distribution to net accumulation. This movement comes from large wallets adding to their positions at market levels deemed attractive by long-term holders.

This accumulation is often interpreted as a signal of long-term confidence by whales, even though price volatility remains significant and global macroeconomic trends are constantly changing. Whale accumulation in BTC tends to put less selling pressure while creating a more stable foundation for a potential price recovery in early 2026.
Ethereum is also showing strong whale accumulation activity. Recent on-chain data recorded the accumulation of over 800,000 ETH by whales between mid-October and early December 2025, indicating great confidence in the fundamentals of the Ethereum network and the possibility of positive volatility in the future. This accumulation has coincided with a decline in ETH reserves on exchanges, which is often considered bullish if demand remains high.
Whale accumulation on ETH is often associated with expectations of DeFi growth, staking, as well as increased network usage through advanced upgrades. Whale activity also reflects the view that Ethereum remains a critical infrastructure in the evolving Web3 ecosystem.
Also read: Many Bitcoin Whales Rise from the Grave in 2025: A Bull Run or a New Crisis?

XRP is one of the altcoins that attracted whale attention ahead of 2026. On-chain analytics show that whales accumulated around 340 million XRP tokens between September and November 2025, while retail tended to panic sell. The increase in the number of wallets holding more than 10,000 XRP reached an all-time high, reflecting strong accumulation interest from large investors.
This accumulation demonstrates whale confidence in XRP’s fundamental narrative, including its role in on-demand liquidity (ODL) settlement and use in cross-border payment networks. Whale accumulation is often seen as a signal of potential long-term strategic accumulation before the next period of growth.
Litecoin, while often considered a veteran asset that is less volatile than newer altcoins, is also a target for whale accumulation ahead of 2026. Recent market analysis shows whale accumulation on LTC accompanied by bullish technical sentiment and increased institutional attention. Some analysts even predict a potentially significant rally if this trend continues.
This accumulation comes amid the narrative that LTC could act as a “sleeping giant” that is reviving after a relatively long period of price stagnation. Whales adding to positions in LTC could reflect a belief in the network’s role as a utility and diversification asset in large crypto portfolios.
Also read: 4 Crucial Charts that Decide the Fate of Bitcoin Price by the End of 2025
Chainlink was also noted to be on whale’s radar towards the end of 2025. On-chain data shows that whale has withdrawn millions of LINKs from exchanges, which is often interpreted as whale accumulation due to the reduction in supply available for public trading. Reduced supply from exchanges is often seen as a bullish signal as it reduces potential selling pressure and focuses ownership on large wallets.
Chainlink is known as a decentralized oracle that provides external data for smart contracts across multiple blockchains. Whale accumulation on LINK could signal confidence in the protocol’s long-term role in Web3 infrastructure, especially with the increasing need for off-chain data integration.
Whale accumulation activity presents an important signal of how smart money views the potential of some crypto assets ahead of 2026. Bitcoin and Ethereum remain the main focus, supported by strong on-chain data of large position additions. Altcoins such as XRP, Litecoin, and Chainlink are also showing strategic accumulation, albeit with different mechanisms and fundamental narratives.
A whale is an individual or institution that holds such a large amount of crypto assets that their movements can affect the market.
Whale accumulation often reflects long-term confidence in an asset and can be an early signal of a change in market trend.
Not always. Whale accumulation is an indicator, not a guarantee of price increases, so it still needs to be combined with fundamental and risk analysis.
Data is usually obtained from on-chain analytics, exchange reports, as well as large transaction monitoring platforms such as Whale Alert.
Whale accumulation can be a reference strategy, but investors still need to adjust it to their risk profile and investment objectives.
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