Bitcoin, Ether, XRP Face September Test After Biggest Whale Distribution in Years

Core Insights - Bitcoin (BTC) is currently trading just under $112,000, facing significant whale sell-offs while showing signs of long-term accumulation and strong altcoin performance [1] - Over 100,000 BTC, valued at approximately $12.7 billion, have exited major wallets in the past 30 days, marking the largest coin distribution this year [1][2] - The long-term outlook for Bitcoin remains positive, with only a 13% decline from its mid-August all-time high, and a one-year moving average projected to break through $100,000 in October [3] Market Dynamics - The recent whale sell-off mirrors the aggressive position trimming seen in July 2022, which may continue to exert pressure on Bitcoin prices in the coming weeks [2] - Bitcoin's illiquid supply has reached a record 14.3 million BTC, indicating strong long-term confidence, with over 70% of coins held in wallets with little spending history [4] - Price stabilization is anticipated within the $105,000–$118,000 range, supported by ETF flows and bullish MACD signals [4] Altcoin Performance - Ethereum is trading around $4,307, with a projected price range of $4,100–$4,600 if ETF demand remains strong [5] - Other altcoins have shown positive movements, with XRP up 2.3% to $2.96, Solana's SOL rising 3.2% to $214, and dogecoin increasing by 10.5% to $0.236 [5] Sentiment and Market Conditions - The total crypto market capitalization increased by 2.5% last week to $3.85 trillion but remains below its 50-day average, indicating a cautious sentiment among traders [6] - The sentiment index dipped into fear at 44 over the weekend before recovering to 51, suggesting a wait-and-see approach among market participants [6] - Seasonal weakness in September and macroeconomic pressures, including upcoming U.S. inflation data, are expected to influence market movements [7]