Bitcoin owner metrics are quietly telling two very different stories right now, and both offer different interpretations of what to expect from the cryptocurrency’s leading price perspective.
On the other hand, a wave of short-term holders is rushing to lock in profits the first sign of price increase, Bitcoin flood exchange. On the other hand, long-term holders, the strongest participants in the market, sit on their coins in complete silence, undisturbed by noise.
Short-Term Managers Cash Out Strongly
Bitcoin did not move above $70,000 for only a few days before the outflows began to flood. Data highlighted by crypto analyst Darkfrost at CryptoQuant indicates that short-term owner selling pressure is beginning to shine.
Notably, more than 27,000 BTC of profits were reported to have been sent to the trade by short-term holders within the space of 24 hours, a figure that places the current activity among the highest readings of profit-taking seen in recent months. As shown in the chart below, the last time additional BTC for profit was sent to crypto exchanges was in early January 2026.
That’s important because short-term holders tend to be the most active market participants. They usually react quickly to price changes. A chart that tracks the owner’s short-term profit and loss on the exchange shows the increase in profit taking as Bitcoin tried to regain footing above $70,000.
It is interesting that the collection currently in profit addresses who bought Bitcoin between one week and one month ago, at a price found at around $68,000. That puts them in a situation where recovery is an opportunity to redeem themselves. Everyone in the temporary group is at breakeven or underwater.
Bitcoin Short Term Holder P&L To Exchanges. Source: CryptoQuant
Long-Term Managers Send a Different Message
Long-term holders (LTHs), the group defined by holding Bitcoin for more than 155 days, show a level of inactivity similar to the conditions associated with declining bear markets. According to the The Metric Value Days Destroyed (CVDD) metric, which measures not only the number of coins held for a long time but how much economic weight those measures have, currently reads around 0.34.
To put that in context, market tops have historically been formed when CVDD exceeds 2.0, indicating that LTHs are overselling. At 0.34, the market is nowhere near that area. Therefore, long-term owners, in general, prefer to stay put and not pressure to sell.
As shown in the metric chart below, the last time long-term holders have a strong selling activity is early January 2026. This is important because LTHs are not just an idle footnote in the story of Bitcoin.
They have always been the most strategic minded participants in the crypto industry. Currently, they seem to be waiting for higher prices to sell to or from price action is enough to deteriorate more accumulation.
BTC: The Days of Value Are Ruined. Source: @Darkfost_Coc On X
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Planning process because bitcoinist focuses on delivering well-researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We maintain strict sourcing standards, and each page is diligently reviewed by our team of senior technical experts and experienced editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content to our readers.
