Bitcoin Crash Incoming? Long-Term Holders Dump BTC in Droves as Selling Pressure Builds

Key Takeaways

• Long-term Bitcoin holders are selling a batch close now, putting downward unit connected the price.

• The marketplace has absorbed overmuch of this selling truthful far, with large buyers stepping successful to enactment it.

• A afloat clang is improbable successful the adjacent term, but Bitcoin could inactive driblet further if selling continues.

Bitcoin (BTC) has started 2026 connected shaky ground, grinding betwixt $88,000 and $90,000 aft falling hard from its $124,000 peak.

As the marketplace searches for a wide direction, 1 storyline is dominating the conversation.

Long-term Bitcoin holders (LTHs)—investors who person held BTC for astatine slightest 155 days—may beryllium starting to merchantability successful size.

If that inclination holds, it could adhd caller unit to an already fragile marketplace and substance fears that a deeper pullback is inactive ahead.

According to Glassnode data, Bitcoin semipermanent holders are dumping BTC faster than during the October 2025 crash.

Over the past 30 days, these LTHs person sold astir 143,000 BTC, valued astatine astir $9.5 cardinal astatine existent prices.

This marks the fastest gait of divestment since August 2025, reversing a little accumulation signifier from precocious December 2025 to aboriginal January 2026.

Glassnode’s information shows that mid-term holders (1-5 years) are inactive offloading supply, portion longer-term holders (over 5 years) amusement signs of stabilization oregon adjacent insignificant accumulation. 

For instance, the BTC proviso that has been inactive for implicit 5 years accrued by 95,500 coins successful the past month, suggesting that not each seasoned holders are panicking. 

However, this selling adds proviso to the marketplace and puts downward unit connected prices.

CryptoQuant echoes this, noting that LTH income began erstwhile prices surpassed $40,000, distinguishing this rhythm from erstwhile bull markets wherever holders were much steadfast.

Bitcoin’s terms weakness isn’t isolated to LTH behavior. Over 22% of BTC proviso is held astatine a loss, a level past seen successful aboriginal 2022 and mid-2018, heightening sensitivity to further declines. 

Short-term holders (STHs), who are price-sensitive, are peculiarly vulnerable; their spent output nett ratio sits astatine 0.99, conscionable beneath breakeven, suggesting imaginable capitulation if enactment breaks. 

Glassnode warned that nonaccomplishment to clasp cardinal levels, specified arsenic the -1 modular deviation of the STH outgo ground oregon the existent marketplace mean, could resume LTH selling.

Macro factors adhd layers of complexity to the existent bearish marketplace trends.

The U.S. Federal Reserve’s determination to support involvement rates unchanged contempt a depleting dollar.

Institutional inflows via spot ETFs person been mixed, with $1.3 cardinal successful outflows recently, yet firms similar Strategy person absorbed implicit 40,000 BTC successful 2026 alone.