{"id":68789,"date":"2026-01-22T02:32:03","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T02:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/?p=68789"},"modified":"2026-01-22T02:32:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T02:32:03","slug":"bitcoin-sharks-are-buying-again-but-analysts-warn-of-a-bull-trap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/?p=68789","title":{"rendered":"Bitcoin Sharks Are Buying Again\u2014But Analysts Warn of a Bull Trap"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Large Bitcoin holders, often called \u201csharks,\u201d reportedly ramped up buying during the latest price pullback. Bitcoin slipped from near $98,000 to around $88,000, shaking out many newer buyers along the way. This split between quiet accumulation and loud crash warnings now defines the market mood.<\/p>\n<p>So what<strong>?<\/strong> When big holders buy while prices fall, it often signals long-term confidence. But history also shows that sharp drops can still hit before any real recovery begins.<\/p>\n<p>This tension matters more in a cycle where many analysts already question whether Bitcoin still follows its old four-year rhythm.<\/p>\n<div class=\"chart crypto-chart-instance\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70\" data-coin-id=\"btc\">\n<div class=\"chart__header\">\n<div class=\"chart__info\">\n<div class=\"chart__info-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<img id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-chart__info-icon-img\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"chart__info-name\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-chart__info-name\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"chart__info-symbol\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-chart__info-symbol\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"chart__info-current\">\n<div class=\"chart__info-price\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-chart__info-price\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"chart__info-change\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-chart__info-change\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"chart__info-extra\">\n<div class=\"chart__info-label\">Market Cap<\/div>\n<div class=\"chart__info-marketcap\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-chart__info-marketcap\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"chart__controls\">\n<div class=\"chart__controls-group\">\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"chart__button chart__button--24h\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-btn-24h\">24h<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"chart__button chart__button--7d\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-btn-7d\">7d<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"chart__button chart__button--30d\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-btn-30d\">30d<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"chart__button chart__button--1y\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-btn-1y\">1y<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"chart__button chart__button--all-time\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-btn-all-time\">All Time<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"chart__container\">\n\t\t<canvas class=\"chart__canvas\" id=\"crypto_chart_69718b4da4d70-cryptoChart\"><\/canvas>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>DISCOVER: <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/cryptocurrency\/best-crypto-to-buy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\">Top 20 Crypto to Buy in 2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Who Are \u201cBitcoin Sharks,\u201d and Why Do They Matter?<\/h2>\n<p>In on-chain data, \u201csharks\u201d hold between 100 and 1,000 BTC. At today\u2019s prices, that\u2019s millions of dollars per wallet. Think of them like early insiders or professional desks, not day traders on their phones.<\/p>\n<p>This group <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/bitcoin-sharks-accumulate-fastest-pace-in-13-years-btc-down\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">added<\/a> roughly 54,000 BTC in a single week. That marks the fastest accumulation pace since 2012.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-329820\" src=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcshark-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcshark-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcshark-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcshark-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcshark-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcshark-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcshark-50x28.png 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p>\n<p>(Source: BTC shark net position change \/ <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/studio.glassnode.com\/charts\/btc-entities-supply-shark-netposchange?amp%3Butm_source=gn_insights&amp;amp%3Butm_medium=insights_woc&amp;amp%3Butm_campaign=woc_11_2023&amp;ref=glassnode-insights-on-chain-market-intelligence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Glassnode<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Why this matters<strong>:<\/strong> When sharks buy, they remove coins from circulation. Less supply floating around often sets the stage for stronger moves later, even if the price stays weak in the short term.<\/p>\n<p>This pattern has appeared before during periods of fear, including early 2013 and mid-2024. In both cases, patient buyers won, but only after sharp volatility.<\/p>\n<p><strong>DISCOVER: <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/cryptocurrency\/best-solana-meme-coins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\">Top Ethereum Meme Coins to Buy in 2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Why Some Analysts Still Expect a Sharp Drop<\/h2>\n<p>Not everyone sees this as a green light. Several chart analysts warn that Bitcoin looks like a \u201cbull trap,\u201d which is a fake breakout that lures buyers before a deeper fall.<\/p>\n<p>One analyst pointed to similarities with the 2021 double top, where repeated breakouts trapped late buyers. He argues Bitcoin could slide toward $35,000 as early as February.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This chart perfectly predicted the current Bull Trap to ~$97K.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s the EXACT same Double Top setup from 2021.<\/p>\n<p>If the 4-year pattern is still in play, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">$BTC<\/a> will dump to $35,000 in February.<\/p>\n<p>Get ready for what\u2019s coming next. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1kusk1jwhF\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/1kusk1jwhF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Lofty (@0xLofty) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/0xLofty\/status\/2013702361437384914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">January 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The \u201cso what\u201d here is simple<strong>:<\/strong> Even smart money can buy too early. Big wallets have longer time horizons and bigger cushions than retail investors.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why price warnings still deserve respect, especially for anyone using leverage or short-term strategies.<\/p>\n<h2>What This Means for Regular Bitcoin Investors<\/h2>\n<p>For beginners, this is not a buy-or-sell signal. It\u2019s a context signal. Shark accumulation shows that long-term conviction remains, even while headlines turn scary.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, short-term pain stays on the table. This is the kind of environment where emotional decisions cost the most.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-329823\" src=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcchar-1024x625.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcchar-1024x625.png 1024w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcchar-300x183.png 300w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcchar-768x469.png 768w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcchar-50x31.png 50w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1btcchar.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p>\n<p>(Source: BTCUSD \/ <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tradingview.com\/symbols\/BTCUSD\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">TradingView<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>If you already hold Bitcoin, this helps explain why price refuses to fully collapse despite bad news. If you\u2019re new, this is a reminder to think in slices, not lump sums.<\/p>\n<p>Dollar-cost averaging, or buying small amounts over time, reduces the risk of bad timing. It also keeps you from chasing green candles.<\/p>\n<p>For a bearish counterpoint, see recent <a href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/news\/presales\/peter-schiff-warns-of-spectacular-crash-to-69k-as-bitcoin-fails-to-match-golds-record-rally\/\">warnings of Bitcoin crashes<\/a> making the rounds.<\/p>\n<h2>Shark Accumulation Signals a Market Structure Shift<\/h2>\n<p>On-chain data from multiple sources shows large holders adding BTC while smaller wallets trim exposure. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chaincatcher.com\/en\/article\/2235378\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">ChainCatcher<\/a>, whales and sharks added more than 56,000 BTC since mid-December.<\/p>\n<p>This behavior often marks consolidation phases. The market transfers coins from impatient hands to patient ones. That doesn\u2019t mean price jumps tomorrow<strong>.<\/strong> It means ownership shifts quietly before the next major trend shows itself.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-329821\" src=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1smartmoney-1024x483.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"483\" srcset=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1smartmoney-1024x483.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1smartmoney-300x142.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1smartmoney-768x362.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1smartmoney-50x24.jpeg 50w, https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1smartmoney.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p>\n<p>(Source: Smart Money Vs Retail \/ <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CryptoBusy\/status\/2013914467571061194\/photo\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">X.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve seen similar setups before institutional demand ramps up, including ETF inflows and corporate treasury buys. If you want the bigger picture, our guide to\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/news\/altcoins\/crypto-market-news-today-january-21-no-more-bull-run-bitcoin-price-slides-under-90000-and-sp-500-gains-wiped-as-world-war-3-fear-escalates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bitcoin\u2019s declining price<\/a> explains how macro fear drives<\/span>\u00a0these moves.<\/p>\n<p>For now, sharks are voting with their wallets, not their words. The next few weeks will test whether patience or caution pays off first.<\/p>\n<p><strong>DISCOVER: <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/cryptocurrency\/best-solana-meme-coins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\">Top Solana Meme Coins to Buy in 2026\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Follow <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/99BitcoinsHQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">99Bitcoins on X<\/a> For the Latest Market Updates and <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@99bitcoins\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Subscribe on YouTube<\/a> For Daily Expert Market Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/news\/bitcoin-btc\/bitcoin-sharks-buying-bull-trap\/\">Bitcoin Sharks Are Buying Again\u2014But Analysts Warn of a Bull Trap<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/\">99Bitcoins<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Large Bitcoin holders, often called \u201csharks,\u201d reportedly ramped up buying during the latest price pullback. Bitcoin slipped from near $98,000 to around $88,000, shaking out many newer buyers along the way. This split between quiet accumulation and loud crash warnings now defines the market mood. So what? When big holders buy while prices fall, it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3,4,5],"class_list":["post-68789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-crypto","tag-doge","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=68789"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68789\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=68789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=68789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=68789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}