As the cryptocurrency markets continue to experience a range-bound phase in mid-2025, monitoring the activities of major holders, often referred to as “whales,” has emerged as a crucial tactic for traders aiming to identify profitable opportunities in a stagnant market. A recent biweekly analysis from Santiment, in partnership with Bybit Official, published on June 12, 2025, provides an in-depth examination of whale movements across various altcoins, including Shiba Inu (SHIB), Ankr (ANKR), SPX6900 (SPX), Uma (UMA), Compound (COMP), and LCX (LCX).
Santiment’s report indicates that whale transactions—defined as transfers exceeding $100,000—have seen a significant uptick for these cryptocurrencies in the past fortnight, hinting at possible accumulation or distribution trends that could impact price movements. For instance, Shiba Inu experienced a remarkable 35% rise in whale transaction volume from June 1 to June 10, 2025, with large holders transferring over 2.5 trillion SHIB during this timeframe. Similarly, Ankr recorded a 28% increase in whale activity, particularly notable on June 8, 2025, when substantial transfers corresponded with a price rise from $0.045 to $0.052 within a single day on Binance’s ANKR/USDT pair. These activities suggest that significant players are strategically positioning themselves, possibly in anticipation of upcoming market triggers or specific developments related to the tokens.
This analysis is essential for traders focused on altcoin strategies, as whale movements frequently precede significant volatility or shifts in market trends. Gaining insights into where substantial investments are flowing can be beneficial for both short-term traders looking for quick profits and long-term investors aiming to take advantage of breakout scenarios in a sideways market. The report also emphasizes the relevance of cross-market correlations, noting that whale activity in the cryptocurrency sector often reflects sentiment changes in traditional equity markets, particularly in tech-heavy indices like the Nasdaq, which saw a 1.2% decline on June 10, 2025, according to Bloomberg data.
The trading implications of these whale movements are noteworthy, especially when viewed through the lens of broader market dynamics. For instance, the spike in whale transactions for Shiba Inu on June 5, 2025, at 14:00 UTC coincided with a 7% price increase on the SHIB/USDT pair on Binance, which rose from $0.000025 to $0.0000268 within a six-hour period, alongside an 18% surge in trading volume to 1.2 trillion SHIB. This indicates significant buying interest from major holders, potentially setting SHIB up for a breakout above critical resistance at $0.000028, provided the momentum is maintained. In contrast, Compound (COMP) exhibited signs of distribution, with peak whale transactions occurring on June 9, 2025, at 09:00 UTC, as 45,000 COMP were withdrawn from exchanges, according to on-chain data from Santiment. This led to a 4% decrease in the COMP/USDT pair on Coinbase, dropping from $55.20 to $53.00 by 15:00 UTC that same day. Traders may interpret this as a bearish indication, prompting them to consider short positions or tighten stop-loss orders around $52.50.
Furthermore, the weakness observed in the tech sector of the stock market, with notable companies like Nvidia experiencing a 2.5% decline on June 11, 2025, as reported by Reuters, could dampen risk appetite within crypto markets. Historically, downturns in tech stocks have been linked to diminished institutional investments in high-risk assets such as altcoins, as highlighted in a recent CoinDesk analysis. This relationship underscores the necessity for traders to keep a close watch on stock market sentiment, as ongoing sell-offs could exert pressure on tokens like SPX6900 and LCX, which have shown susceptibility to equity market fluctuations.
From a technical standpoint, various indicators and volume metrics stress the significance of whale activity in these altcoins. For Shiba Inu, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the 4-hour chart was recorded at 58 as of June 12, 2025, at 12:00 UTC, suggesting potential for upward movement before reaching overbought levels at 70, according to TradingView data. Trading volume for the SHIB/USDT pair hit 1.5 trillion SHIB on June 11, 2025, reflecting a 22% increase from the previous day, which aligns with the trends of whale accumulation. In the case of Ankr, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicated a bullish crossover on June 10, 2025, at 18:00 UTC, coinciding with the surge in whale transactions, hinting at the possibility of a sustained rally if daily volume remains above 200 million ANKR. Additionally, on-chain metrics for Uma (UMA) displayed a 15% rise in net flows from large holders on June 7, 2025, corresponding with a volume boost to 12 million UMA on the UMA/USDT pair on KuCoin. In relation to stock-crypto correlations, the Nasdaq’s 1.2% drop on June 10, 2025, was mirrored by a 3% decrease in the total crypto market cap, which fell to $2.1 trillion by June 11, 2025, at 00:00 UTC, as per CoinGecko. This suggests that institutional investment may be shifting away from risk assets, affecting tokens like Compound and LCX, with trading volumes declining by 10% and 8%, respectively, on June 11, 2025. Traders could utilize these correlations to formulate hedging strategies, such as pairing long positions in more stable tokens with short positions in tech stocks through ETFs.
Institutional flows, which often act as a conduit between stock and cryptocurrency markets, appear to be increasingly cautious, as Grayscale reported a 5% decrease in inflows to altcoin funds for the week ending June 10, 2025. This dynamic underscores the importance of maintaining vigilance in monitoring both markets to identify optimal entry and exit points.
In conclusion, the whale activity observed across Shiba Inu, Ankr, SPX6900, Uma, Compound, and LCX offers valuable insights into potential price movements, further influenced by cross-market dynamics from the stock sector. Traders concentrating on altcoin breakout strategies or those leveraging crypto-stock correlations can apply these findings to time their trades effectively, balancing risk against technical and on-chain analyses. As stock market sentiment fluctuates, the relationship between institutional investment and cryptocurrency volumes will remain a key consideration for trading strategies in 2025.
What does whale activity mean for crypto trading?
Whale activity refers to substantial transactions made by major holders, typically exceeding $100,000, which can indicate trends of accumulation or distribution. The Santiment report from June 12, 2025, highlighted that increases in whale transactions for cryptocurrencies like Shiba Inu and Ankr often foreshadow price volatility, providing traders with important cues for making buying or selling decisions.
How do stock market movements affect altcoins like Shiba Inu?
Declines in the stock market, such as the 1.2% drop in the Nasdaq on June 10, 2025, often lead to a reduced appetite for risk, resulting in lower institutional investments in altcoins. This correlation can pressure the prices of tokens like Shiba Inu, as traders gravitate towards safer assets, which ultimately impacts the overall market capitalization and trading volume in the cryptocurrency space.
