hodler

22 May 2026, 06:00

XRP Declines 8%, But Whales Scoop Up 71 Million Tokens

On-chain data shows the XRP whales have gone on a 71 million coin buying spree over the past week even as the asset’s price has dropped. XRP Whales Have Increased Holdings Recently In a new post on X, analyst Ali Martinez has talked about the latest trend in the supply held by whales on the XRP network. “Whales” refer to the entities holding a considerable amount of the asset in their wallet balance. Related Reading: Bitcoin $78,000 Rebound Fizzles As Coinbase Premium Stays Red These investors can carry some degree of influence in the market thanks to their large holdings, so their behavior can often be worth keeping an eye on. The moves made by the whales may not always directly impact the asset, but they can still be revealing about the sentiment present among them. There are many ways to track the behavior of the whales, with one such being through their holdings. Below is the chart shared by Martinez that shows the trend in the supply of the large XRP holders. As is visible in the graph, the XRP whales have expanded their holdings recently. More specifically, these humongous investors have added more than 71 million tokens of the cryptocurrency (worth around $97.8 million right now) to their supply over the past week. This accumulation spree from the whales has interestingly arrived while the asset’s price has gone down by over 8% within the same window. Considering this timing, it’s possible that the big-money hands are looking at the dip as a lucrative opportunity to buy more of XRP. It only remains to be seen, though, whether this bet from the whales will pay off. In some other news, XRP may be gearing up for a volatile move, as the analyst has highlighted in another X post. The indicator cited by Martinez is the Bollinger Bands, a tool that’s generally used for measuring the volatility of an asset. Related Reading: Bitcoin ETF Inflows Are Underperforming In 2026, Data Shows There are three bands in the indicator: a 20-day moving average (MA) central line and two levels on either side of it corresponding to certain standard deviations up and down. From the chart, it’s visible that the Bollinger Bands have squeezed around the 3-day XRP price recently. This suggests that the cryptocurrency has been experiencing stale price action. According to the analyst, the current squeeze in the metric is the tightest one in over a year. “When volatility compresses this tightly, it’s a signal that a violent price expansion is approaching,” noted Martinez. XRP Price XRP briefly breached the $0.54 mark one week ago, but the coin has since seen a notable drawdown as its price has returned to $1.37. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com

22 May 2026, 06:00

Trader Who Netted $7.5M on ZEC and HYPE Opens $38.63M Leveraged Long on Ethereum

BitcoinWorld Trader Who Netted $7.5M on ZEC and HYPE Opens $38.63M Leveraged Long on Ethereum A high-stakes cryptocurrency trader, previously successful with leveraged positions on Zcash (ZEC) and Hyperliquid (HYPE), has opened a substantial $38.63 million long position on Ethereum (ETH) using 25x leverage. The move was identified and reported by on-chain analytics platform Lookonchain, which traced the activity to an anonymous wallet address beginning with 0x8652. The Trader’s Recent Track Record Over the past four days, the same wallet executed highly profitable long positions on ZEC and HYPE, realizing gains of approximately $7.5 million. These rapid profits provided the capital and confidence for the significantly larger Ethereum trade. The trader’s average entry price for the new ETH long is $2,133.19, with a liquidation price set at $1,949.67. This means a price drop of roughly 8.6% from the entry point would trigger a forced liquidation of the entire position. Market Implications and Risk Analysis Large, leveraged positions by known profitable traders often attract attention in the crypto community, as they can signal conviction in a near-term price direction. However, the use of 25x leverage on a $38.63 million position introduces extreme risk. A move of just a few percent against the position could result in a total loss of the margin. The liquidation price of $1,949.67 places the position vulnerable to any sudden market downturns or volatility spikes, particularly given Ethereum’s history of rapid price swings. This trade underscores the high-risk, high-reward nature of leveraged cryptocurrency trading, where even experienced traders can face significant losses. What This Means for Ethereum’s Market While a single trader’s position does not dictate market direction, such large leveraged longs can influence short-term price action. If Ethereum’s price approaches the liquidation level, automated selling pressure could accelerate a decline. Conversely, the trade’s success could encourage similar speculative behavior among other traders. The coming days will be critical to watch as Ethereum’s price tests the $2,100 support zone. Conclusion The opening of a $38.63 million leveraged long on Ethereum by a trader with a recent winning streak adds a notable subplot to the ongoing market dynamics. While it reflects bullish sentiment from a proven participant, the high leverage involved serves as a reminder of the inherent risks in crypto derivatives trading. Market observers will be closely monitoring Ethereum’s price action around the $1,949.67 liquidation threshold. FAQs Q1: Who is the trader behind the $38.63 million ETH long? The trader is identified only by an anonymous wallet address starting with 0x8652, as reported by Lookonchain. Their real identity is unknown. Q2: What happens if Ethereum’s price hits $1,949.67? If Ethereum’s price falls to $1,949.67, the 25x leveraged long position will be automatically liquidated, meaning the trader loses the entire margin used to open the trade. Q3: How did the trader make $7.5 million in four days? The trader profited from leveraged long positions on Zcash (ZEC) and Hyperliquid (HYPE), which experienced price increases that generated significant returns before the trader exited those positions. This post Trader Who Netted $7.5M on ZEC and HYPE Opens $38.63M Leveraged Long on Ethereum first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

22 May 2026, 05:56

Bitcoin Hovers Near $77,700 as Pizza Day Stack Loses $328M, Yields Above 5% Cap Rally

Bitcoin News The 16th anniversary of Bitcoin 's first commercial transaction landed with notably less fanfare than last year, as the 10,000 BTC once used to buy two pizzas now carries a notional va...

22 May 2026, 05:55

Is Trump Media Dumping Bitcoin at a Loss Again?

US President Donald Trump made some bold and bullish promises during his election campaign in 2024 for the cryptocurrency industry, but the actual implementation has been controversial to say the least. Although his team has launched certain digital asset projects and initiatives, such as accumulating BTC for one of their companies, they continue to sell crypto, sometimes even at a loss. The latest example was reported by Lookonchain. The analytics resource noted that Trump Media, the entity behind the Truth Social media platform, majority owned by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, had sent over $200 million worth of BTC to Crypto.com, with which they have collaborated in the past. Four months ago, they had transferred $175 million worth of the asset at an average price of $87,378. Today’s reported transfer comes as BTC struggles below $78,000. However, their accumulation came during the cryptocurrency’s impressive surge when the asset stood close to $120,000. This means the group’s total BTC holdings are down to just $455 million, a significant decline from the $1.37 billion it spent to acquire them last year. Trump Media just sold 2,650 $BTC ($205M)? Trump Media bought 11,542 $BTC ($1.37B) at an average cost of $118,522. 4 months ago, they transferred out 2,000 $BTC ($175M) at $87,378. An hour ago, they deposited another 2,650 $BTC ($205M) into https://t.co/INIxikglp6 . Trump Media is… pic.twitter.com/unfYm1o70m — Lookonchain (@lookonchain) May 22, 2026 This is far from the first example of Trump-linked cryptocurrency entities disposing of their tokens. Most recently, reports indicated that WLFI holders had dumped 1.8 billion coins. Before that, the teams behind the TRUMP and MELANIA meme coins had sold off the majority of their holdings, as both assets’ prices tumbled by over 90% from their all-time highs. The post Is Trump Media Dumping Bitcoin at a Loss Again? appeared first on CryptoPotato .

22 May 2026, 05:50

MARA Holdings Spends $4.3 Million on Executive Security, Including Bulletproof Vehicles

BitcoinWorld MARA Holdings Spends $4.3 Million on Executive Security, Including Bulletproof Vehicles MARA Holdings (MARA), one of the largest publicly traded Bitcoin holders, has allocated $4.3 million toward personal security for its top executives, according to a recent company filing. The expenditure includes bulletproofing vehicles and installing home security systems, measures the company deems necessary due to the heightened risks associated with its substantial cryptocurrency reserves. Security Spending Breakdown The Financial Times first reported the details from MARA’s regulatory filing. CEO Fred Thiel’s personal security costs totaled $4.3 million, which included $430,000 for vehicle armor and $58,000 for a home security system. CFO Salman Khan’s security expenses reached $3.95 million, featuring a one-time cost of $438,000 for bulletproofing a vehicle. The company justified these outlays as ‘reasonable and necessary,’ arguing that its executives face greater threats than those at other public companies because of MARA’s publicly known, large Bitcoin holdings. Context and Implications for the Crypto Industry MARA Holdings disclosed in the first quarter that it holds 38,689 BTC, a position that makes it a visible target in the cryptocurrency space. The company’s security spending highlights a growing, yet often underreported, aspect of the digital asset industry: the physical safety risks for key personnel at firms that manage significant crypto wealth. While corporate security for executives is standard practice, the specific nature of these measures—bulletproof vehicles and home security systems—underscores the perceived severity of the threat. This case may prompt other crypto-heavy companies to review their own security protocols and disclosure practices. Why This Matters to Investors and the Market For investors, such expenditures are a tangible cost of doing business in the cryptocurrency sector. They represent a unique operational expense that is less common in traditional industries. The disclosure also raises questions about corporate governance and risk management at firms with concentrated crypto holdings. While MARA’s move is a defensive measure, it signals that the company is actively managing a risk that could affect executive stability and, by extension, company operations. This story adds a layer of due diligence for those evaluating crypto-related equities. Conclusion MARA Holdings’ $4.3 million executive security plan, including vehicle bulletproofing, reflects the unique operational risks tied to publicly disclosed cryptocurrency holdings. The company’s justification frames these costs as necessary for executive safety in a high-risk environment, setting a precedent for transparency around security spending in the digital asset industry. FAQs Q1: Why does MARA Holdings need bulletproof vehicles for its executives? A1: MARA Holdings states that its executives face higher personal security risks than those at other public companies due to the company’s large, publicly known Bitcoin holdings (38,689 BTC), which could make them targets for theft or physical harm. Q2: How much did MARA spend on executive security in total? A2: According to a company filing, MARA spent $4.3 million on personal security for CEO Fred Thiel and $3.95 million for CFO Salman Khan, totaling over $8 million in disclosed security-related expenses. Q3: Is this type of security spending common for public companies? A3: While executive security is common, the scale and specific measures—such as vehicle bulletproofing—are less typical. MARA argues its spending is reasonable given the unique risks associated with its cryptocurrency holdings, which are different from most traditional public companies. This post MARA Holdings Spends $4.3 Million on Executive Security, Including Bulletproof Vehicles first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

22 May 2026, 05:48

STRC credit plan set to boost Strategy’s BTC acquisitions

🚀 Strategy launches STRC credit plan to fund more BTC purchases. Saylor aims to raise Bitcoin per share through this new tool. Continue Reading: STRC credit plan set to boost Strategy’s BTC acquisitions The post STRC credit plan set to boost Strategy’s BTC acquisitions appeared first on COINTURK NEWS .