• 30 June, 2024
Markets News

DeFi Staking Frenzy: Are Whales Setting the Stage for Ethereum’s Next Rally?

Stablecoin whales are making waves in the Ethereum (ETH) market, as recent data reveals unprecedented levels of accumulation as highlighted by kate_young_ju, an onchain analyst. This surge in activity, characterized by significant purchases by large holders, comes amid a backdrop of both optimism and uncertainty for the leading smart contract platform.

On Thursday, Ethereum experienced a resurgence in bullish momentum, briefly reaching $3,618, buoyed by a flurry of buying activity from whales. Notably, a whale identified as Ox347 deposited 9,000 ETH tokens onto Binance at a price of $3,560, signaling a move to capitalize on profits. Despite this substantial deposit, Ox347 still retains a considerable holding of 29,738 ETH, valued at over $106 million, with an estimated profit exceeding $68.5 million.

While Ox347 opted for profit-taking, other whales took divergent actions. Whale 0x4359, for instance, withdrew 3,092 ETH ($11.12 million) from Binance, adding to a recent spree of withdrawals totaling 24,044 ETH ($86.5 million) over the past three days. Similarly, another significant holder, 0xACc7, pulled out 22,251 ETH ($80.06 million) from exchanges on Thursday alone, bringing their total withdrawals in the past three days to 33,925 ETH ($122.06 million).

Speculation within the crypto community suggests that these moves may be tied to the restaking trend in decentralized finance (DeFi), particularly with the imminent Mainnet launch of EigenLayer. Data from Lookonchain corroborates this theory, indicating that whales and institutions are withdrawing ETH from exchanges to stake it in platforms like Pendle and Bedrock.

However, amidst these bullish indicators, Ethereum faces potential headwinds stemming from regulatory concerns. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a Wells notice to Uniswap, Ethereum’s largest decentralized exchange, alleging its operation as an unregistered securities broker and exchange. 

Trading at $3,523.61 Ethereum’s price movement continues to exhibit a strong correlation with Bitcoin (BTC), a trend observed throughout the year. With the Bitcoin halving looming just eight days away, market analysts anticipate heightened volatility and closely monitor its impact on Ethereum’s price trajectory.

Ethereum 1-Day price chart, Source: TradingView

Ethereum’s 1-Day Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovers at 50.83, indicating a neutral market sentiment. While trading above the signal line suggests a potential bullish momentum, the 1-Day KST trading below the signal line hints at short-term bearishness. 

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