With the crypto market turning slightly bearish, the Ethereum price has lost the $2,300 mark, raising questions about the stability of its recent upswing. Amid this sideways price action, a report shows that a fading bullish sentiment among Ethereum whales is evidenced by a significant decline in their holdings.
Large ETH Players’ Portfolio Shrinks Sharply
After examining Ethereum whales‘ holdings, Ali Charts, a seasoned market expert and trader, revealed that these key investors are exhibiting a trend not seen in over a year. While ETH’s price is slowly losing its upside momentum, a major wave of selling has rattled the ETH market.
This heightened selling activity was observed among large investors or whales holding between 1,000 ETH and 10,000 ETH as they dump nearly a quarter of their holdings in the face of uncertainty. Such a trend underscores a major decrease in exposure, which raises questions about confidence and short-term market stability.
Since October 6, 2025, Ethereum holders between 1,000 and 10,000 ETH have undergone a notable regime shift in their market activity. Prior to the shift, the cohort was spotted in a steady accumulation phase. During the period, these investors’ ETH portfolio saw a rise from 12.95 million ETH in April 2025 to a peak of 15.95 million ETH by October 6, 2025. Fast forward to May 2026, and this behavior has flipped again.
As seen in the chart shared by Ali Charts, the amount of ETH held by these mid-tier whales has dropped from 15.95 million to about 12.52 million, which represents an approximately 21.5% decrease in their total position. This simply implies a dramatic change in positioning from some of the network’s largest investors.
Ali Charts have flagged this development as a supply overhang. According to the expert, this suggests that the road to the $3,000 may require a fresh wave of demand from institutional or retail investors to offset whale distribution.
It is worth noting that a few days ago, ETH whales went on a buying spree. During the period, over 140,000 ETH, valued at around $322 million, were scooped up by these key players. When high-net-worth holders are buying more, it is a sign that smart money is positioning for a breakout.
Tokenized Treasuries Surges On The ETH Network
Even with the Ethereum price still significantly down from its all-time high, this drop has not hindered institutional adoption, which is currently accelerating. Coin Bureau has reported a surge in tokenized treasuries across the leading network.
The chart shows that the ETH network just surpassed $8 billion in tokenized US treasuries for the first time in its history. The rise in blockchain-based sovereign debt instruments underscores Ethereum’s growing relevance as a foundation for actual financial assets.
In addition, the week experienced the expansion of Stripe’s BRIDGE stablecoins to Celo and plans for Canada’s first regulated stablecoin on Ethereum. Despite the growth, ETH’s price continues to struggle to break key short-term resistance.
