Whales Accumulate ETH and ADA as Retail Sells in Fear, Data Shows

• Cardano holds key support as whales maintain bullish bias despite weak retail demand
• Ethereum stuck in tight range with traders eyeing rebound after stop-loss shakeout
• Long-side liquidations hint at institutional accumulation amid retail market exits
  

A great divergence is happening within the crypto markets. If you notice, fear-driven selling has put undue downward pressure on prices, but then on-chain and derivatives data paints a starkly different story: institutional players and crypto whales has started buying in Cardano (ADA) and Ethereum (ETH), in line with a soon-to-happen market reversal. 

While the price charts for many large-cap altcoins reflect a short-term bearish mood, a look “under the hood” at derivatives markets and liquidation events suggests that smart money is using the retail sell-off as a buying opportunity.

Cardano (ADA): Retail Fear vs. Whale Patience

Cardano’s price has hovered around $0.6051 after shedding 2.90% over the last 24 hours. It peaked intraday at $0.621 before falling sharply. 

The $0.599 support zone, tested multiple times, is holding for now. Repeated rejections at $0.610 underscore weak buyer momentum, reflecting a short-term bearish tone. Market cap stands at $21.39 billion, with trading volume down nearly 15%, indicating decreased retail activity. 

Meanwhile, derivatives show a mixed picture. Volume and open interest dropped marginally, but long sentiment remains dominant. Binance and OKX data both show a 2.4 long/short ratio, hinting at bullish expectations among top traders.

Related: Altcoin Season Awakes: Can Cardano Lead the Charge and Hit $2.40?

Interestingly, liquidations have skewed heavily toward long positions, with $2.47 million cleared out. This often signals forced exits, which large investors may exploit to accumulate. As retail traders exit on fear, whales might be positioning for a reversal once short-term support stabilizes.

Ethereum Shows Weak Rebound, But Traders Position for Upside

Ethereum faced similar selling pressure, dipping 1.77% to trade near $2,506. The coin bounced after hitting a low of $2,460, but faced strong resistance near $2,548. 

The narrow range between $2,460 and $2,550 reflects indecision, with short-term traders hesitant to commit either way.

Derivatives volume declined over 2%, and options activity saw a significant drop. Still, open interest in both futures and options has grown slightly, suggesting strategic accumulation rather than abandonment. Top traders across Binance and OKX maintain a strong long bias, indicating belief in a short-term price recovery.

Related: Israel-Iran Driven Crypto Crash; Traders Watch if ETH Holds $2,400 and ADA Holds $0.58

However, Ethereum saw higher long-side liquidations than shorts. About $80 million worth of long positions were wiped out in 24 hours, which often follows stop-loss hunts. Such events can reset market conditions and create fresh entry zones for institutions.