Crypto Whale Buying & Transactions Report – 22 January 2026

Crypto whale transactions update with Bitcoin whale icon and CoinSwitch branding - January 2026

There’s an unusual calm in the market today, but don’t let it fool you. Beneath the surface, whales are still playing two games at once: positioning net‑short, yet quietly grabbing assets near key support levels. If you’re a retail trader trying to decipher whether this dip is worth buying or just the start of something uglier, today’s data tells the story.

Whales aren’t guessing. They’re moving real size. The overall exposure leans bearish, yet new longs appear around crucial price zones. Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and which coins could surprise you next.

Crypto Whale Positions Summary

MetricValue
Total Position$6.61 B
Long Position$3.16 B (47.84%)
Short Position$3.45 B (52.16%)

Quick read: Whales are slightly net‑short. The market has downside risk, but there’s no full risk‑off panic.

Margin Summary

MetricValue
Total Margin$721.78 M
Long Margin$411.69 M (57.04%)
Short Margin$310.10 M (42.96%)

Quick read: Margin is leaning long → whales and leveraged traders are still trying to catch upside moves even while exposures favour shorts.

Profit & Loss Summary

MetricValue
Total PnL$98.63 M
Long PnL−$208.77 M
Short PnL+$307.40 M

This is the loudest signal today. Long margin dominates, but shorts are the positions making money. It means recent bearish setups have paid better than bullish ones.

Latest Crypto Whale Activity (The “market mood” section)

AddressSymbolActivityPositionPriceTime
0x931153…baac031dBTCOpen Long$15.75 M$89 993.811:21
0x3bcae2…8c380dETHClose Short$15.92 M$3 013.5709:41

Two key moves stand out:

  1. A whale opened a BTC long just under $90K. Deploying $15 M here isn’t random. It signals belief that the $90K region matters and could act as a short‑term floor.
  2. A whale closed an ETH short above $3 000. Closing shorts near a psychological round number often means the easy downside is done. Not a “moon tomorrow” moment, but a hint that the risk/reward on shorting ETH just got worse.

Long/Short Trader Ratio (Retail Mood)

MetricValue
Long Traders36 629
Short Traders17 031
Long/Short Ratio2.1507

Retail traders are leaning heavily to the long side. Whenever the crowd leans too hard in one direction, whales tend to test the opposite direction first. That’s why we often see fake breakouts, sudden wick‑downs, and liquidation hunts before the “real move” plays out.

Top 5 Whale Trades – Size & Direction

UserSymbolSidePositionQuantity
0xb317..aeETHLong$671.33 M223.34 K ETH
0x94d3..14ETHLong$202.67 M67.42 K ETH
0x9eec..abETHLong$171.75 M57.16 K ETH
0xd835..d7BTCShort$144.90 M1.60 K BTC
0xd475..91ETHShort$141.62 M47.11 K ETH

Headline: ETH remains the whale battleground. There are three huge ETH longs, balanced by two chunky hedges (one BTC short and one ETH short). It’s not an exit; it’s a positioning for volatility.

Top 5 PnL & Leverage

UserPnL ($/%)Entry PriceLiq. PriceLeverageMargin
0xb317..ae−$34.83 M / −5.19%$3 161.85$2 2535× Cross$134.26 M
0x94d3..14+$1.88 M / +0.93%$2 978.09$2 49515× Cross$13.51 M
0x9eec..ab−$10.61 M / −6.18%$3 190.28$2 65415× Cross$11.45 M
0xd835..d7+$1.76 M / +1.22%$91 102.1$91 67640× Cross$3.62 M
0xd475..91+$10.89 M / +7.69%$3 236.96$3 77415× Cross$9.44 M

What stands out? ETH longs are underwater. ETH short is winning. BTC short is also profitable. Retail is crowded long. And yet whales are opening BTC longs around $90K. That’s why markets feel confusing—whales aren’t “bullish or bearish”; they’re strategic.

What This Means for Long vs Short Sentiment

  • Layer 1: Whales are net‑short overall (52.16% vs 47.84%).
  • Layer 2: They still commit more margin to longs (57.04%).
  • Layer 3: Shorts are printing profits (+$307.40 M vs −$208.77 M on longs).

Translation: Down moves have been cleaner than up moves. Shorting resistance has worked better than buying breakouts. Yet the BTC long open near $90K is a soft bullish signal—a way of defending support.

Crypto Coins to Watch Today

1) Bitcoin (BTC)

BTC still steers the entire market. With a whale opening a long around $90K, this level is clearly the battleground. Holding above $90K could revive risk‑on sentiment. Losing it may embolden shorts, especially with long‑term holders currently selling into rallies.

2) Ethereum (ETH)

ETH is where whale conviction sits, but it’s also where the pain is. Three major ETH longs are deep red, prompting hedge activity and volatility spikes. Closing shorts above $3 K hints at easing downside pressure, but ETH must reclaim higher levels to flip sentiment.

3) High‑Beta Altcoins (SOL, XRP, LINK)

Altcoins can move faster once BTC stabilizes. Note that top Chainlink whales added 16.1 million LINK below $13 while retail sold. This divergence often precedes rallies when big players take control. Watch LINK, SOL and XRP for outsized swings.

Impact on Top Crypto Prices

BTC: The floor attempt around $90K matters. But continued short dominance and long‑term holder selling suggest you should expect sudden downside wicks. A break above $92K would be bullish; below $90K opens the door to the $84K–$86K support zone.

ETH: Closing shorts above $3 K reduces immediate sell pressure. Still, ETH longs are hurting, so volatility remains until it reclaims stronger support/resistance bands.

Market mood overall: Bears are being rewarded, whales are sniffing a bounce, and retail is crowded long. That mix creates “trap‑friendly” conditions: fake-outs, liquidation hunts, then real moves. Navigating this tape requires patience and respect for volatility.

Conclusion: Navigating Today’s Whale Tape

Zooming out, today’s whale data tells a clear story:

  • Whales remain slightly net‑short, yet they’re still allocating more margin to longs.
  • Shorts dominate profits, but whales are defending BTC around $90K with fresh long entries.
  • ETH shorts closing above $3 K signals slowing downside momentum, though ETH longs remain under pressure.
  • On‑chain data shows long‑term holders taking profits and whales rotating into selective altcoins like Chainlink.

Smart traders will respect this volatility, avoid FOMO, and wait for confirmation. If BTC holds support and whales keep buying, the next wave could turn bullish quickly. But if the $90K floor breaks and exchange deposits keep rising, bears will stay in control.

To stay ahead of whale movements and get live crypto market analysis, keep tracking whale transactions daily and trade smarter with data-backed insights.

Disclaimer: Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. The information provided in this post is not to be considered investment/financial advice from CoinSwitch. Any action taken upon the information shall be at the user’s risk.

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