A long-dormant Bitcoin whale holding 14,837 BTC worth $1.69 billion has executed a strategic capital rotation, selling 670 BTC ($76 million) to establish leveraged long positions totaling 68,130 ETH valued at approximately $295 million. This significant portfolio shift reflects a broader trend of institutional investors reallocating from Bitcoin to Ethereum amid changing market dynamics.
The whale, which had held its Bitcoin position inactive for seven years since purchasing from Binance and HTX exchanges, deposited the 670 BTC to Hyperliquid exchange on Wednesday and converted the proceeds to Ethereum. According to blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain, the whale distributed the ETH across four wallets with leverage ranging from 3x to 10x, amplifying exposure to nearly $300 million.
The transaction created immediate market volatility, with the $76 million Bitcoin sale causing a 200 basis point price drop on Hyperliquid and creating a 30 basis point discount compared to other exchanges. Ethereum’s price subsequently fell to $4,080, pushing three of the whale’s four positions into negative territory with liquidation risks at $3,699-$3,732 levels.
However, ETH has since rebounded 2.9% to trade at $4,287, demonstrating the asset’s resilience amid heightened institutional interest. The move coincided with significant Ethereum ETF outflows totaling $678 million over three consecutive sessions, creating additional volatility pressure.
The whale’s rotation aligns with broader institutional capital flows favoring Ethereum over Bitcoin. BitMine Immersion Technologies recently added 52,475 ETH to its treasury, bringing total holdings to 1.52 million tokens worth $6.6 billion. Additionally, two institution-linked wallets accumulated 9,044 ETH each during the price dip, signaling continued institutional confidence.
Analysts interpret these movements as evidence of market maturation rather than bearish sentiment. “This transaction signifies the reactivation of long-held BTC whales,” commented Slava Demchuk, CEO of blockchain analytics company AMLBot, describing it as a “tactical shift toward alternative assets in anticipation of growth”.
The strategic reallocation reflects Ethereum’s evolving utility proposition, including its role in decentralized finance, staking yields averaging 3.8% annually, and recent technical upgrades that reduced Layer 2 transaction costs by 50%. With Bitcoin dominance declining from multi-year highs, the whale’s move may signal the early stages of an altcoin rotation cycle that historically follows Bitcoin peaks.








