- Bitfinex traders kept increasing Bitcoin longs even as BTC fell for five straight trading sessions.
- Bitcoin whale long positions crossed 80,000 BTC while bearish bets continued shrinking sharply.
- Traders aggressively bought Bitcoin dips despite weaker ETF inflows and rising macroeconomic pressure.
Bitcoin traders on Bitfinex increased bullish leverage even as Bitcoin recorded five straight daily losses between May 15 and May 19. The price fell from above $80,000 to nearly $76,000 during a broader market pullback, but large traders continued adding long positions instead of reducing exposure.
Coinglass data shows Bitfinex Bitcoin long positions rose from about 74,000 BTC in February to more than 80,000 BTC by May. Traders kept building exposure through periods of sharp corrections and volatile price swings. The steady rise in leverage suggests traders continue to position for upside, even as short-term momentum weakens.
Source: Coinglass
Traders Increase Bullish Bets During Volatility
The strongest accumulation in Bitcoin leveraged positions appeared after prices fell sharply from near $90,000 in late January and early February. Instead of reducing exposure, traders increased long positions during the correction. The move pointed to steady dip-buying activity across leveraged markets.
Crypto analyst Max Crypto highlighted the trend on X, writing, “WOWW!! THIS IS INSANE. Bitfinex whales’ $BTC long positions are going absolutely vertical. Do they know something?”
Max’s Bitfinex chart shows long positions rising toward 80,700 BTC with limited pullbacks. The steady climb suggests sustained accumulation rather than short bursts of speculative trading. Traders continued adding exposure even as broader crypto market uncertainty persisted.
Related: U.S. Treasury Yields Hit Multi-Year Highs as Inflation Pressure Intensifies
Another analyst, CW, noted a decline in bearish positioning among large traders. He wrote, “Short-term short positions held by Bitfinex $BTC whales are further decreasing. Their short-term bearish bets have ended.”
CW’s data shows Bitcoin short positions near 225 BTC, while long exposure remains above 80,000 BTC. The imbalance indicates that bullish positioning now dominates leveraged trading on Bitfinex. Similar setups have often appeared during earlier Bitcoin recovery phases.
Source: X
Macro Risks Continue Pressuring Bitcoin
Despite strong bullish positioning in leveraged markets, Bitfinex analysts pointed to weakening macroeconomic conditions in their latest Bitfinex Alpha report. The report described the U.S. economy as operating in a “higher-for-longer inflation environment,” with inflation pressures remaining elevated.
As a result, expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts have faded. Markets are now beginning to price in the possibility of further rate hikes if inflation stays persistent.
Liquidity across the crypto market has also weakened. Spot Bitcoin ETFs ended a six-week inflow streak after recording nearly $1 billion in outflows. At the same time, on-chain capital inflows fell to about $2.8 billion, well below levels typically seen in strong bull markets.
Related: Trump Orders Fed Review of Crypto Access to U.S. Payment Infrastructure
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.
