Bitcoin is entering a critical consolidation phase after a week of heightened volatility and selling pressure. Following its surge to a new all-time high of $124,500 just ten days ago, BTC has since retraced by more than 10%, now struggling to hold the $115K level as support. This pullback signals potential buying exhaustion, with analysts warning of a possible deeper correction if momentum fails to recover.
Market sentiment has shifted as traders weigh whether this retrace is a healthy cooldown or the beginning of a more sustained decline. Several experts highlight that price action below $115K suggests bulls are losing control of short-term momentum, raising the risk of further downside.
Adding to the pressure, Lookonchain data highlights the moves of a Bitcoin OG who has recently re-emerged after years of dormancy. This whale, who first received 100,784 BTC seven years ago, has begun shifting large portions of his holdings out of Bitcoin. Instead of holding, he is aggressively reallocating into Ethereum, using both spot purchases and long positions to execute the rotation.
Bitcoin Rotation: New Market Dynamics At Play
According to Lookonchain, the past five days have seen one of the most aggressive onchain moves from this Bitcoin OG. The whale deposited approximately 22,769 BTC, worth nearly $2.59 billion, into Hyperliquid for sale. Instead of holding BTC, the capital was rapidly shifted into Ethereum, where the whale bought 472,920 ETH on spot markets, valued at $2.22 billion, and simultaneously opened a massive 135,265 ETH long worth around $577 million.
What makes the move even more notable is the whale’s follow-up strategy. Hours later, Lookonchain reported that this OG began closing his ETH longs and converting them into spot holdings. Specifically, he closed 95,053 ETH longs, worth roughly $450 million, at an average price of $4,735, locking in over $33 million in profits. Immediately after, he purchased an additional 23,575 ETH in spot markets, valued at $108 million.
Despite the shift, the whale still maintains an active derivatives position of 40,212 ETH longs (worth about $184 million) with $11 million in unrealized profit.
This sequence of trades highlights an undeniable capital rotation from Bitcoin into Ethereum, a move that aligns with the growing narrative of ETH gaining dominance in the market. It also helps explain recent price divergences between BTC and ETH, where Bitcoin has stalled below resistance levels while Ethereum continues testing new highs.
Technical Analysis: Testing Pivotal Price Level
Bitcoin is currently trading around $111,266, showing weakness after failing to hold momentum above the $115K mark. The chart reveals a sharp decline from the $123,217 ATH, with BTC now testing critical support levels. Price is sitting just above the 200-day moving average (red line at ~$111,487), which has historically acted as a strong demand zone. A decisive break below this level could accelerate selling pressure, potentially driving BTC toward the $108K–$110K range.
The 50-day (blue) and 100-day (green) moving averages have both started to flatten and slope downward, reflecting waning bullish momentum. This signals that the market may be entering a consolidation phase after months of aggressive upside. On the upside, bulls will need to reclaim the $116K–$118K range to shift short-term momentum and attempt another run toward the ATH at $123K.
The chart highlights a crucial crossroads for BTC. A successful defense of the 200-day MA could restore confidence among buyers, while a breakdown risks a deeper correction. Traders are watching closely as this level could define whether Bitcoin resumes its broader bullish cycle or enters a prolonged consolidation.
Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView
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