Bitcoin’s long-term holders have resumed accumulation in what is a notable shift in investor sentiment despite the turbulence that has gripped the market in recent weeks. Particularly, data from on-chain analytics platform Glassnode shows that the “BTC: Long-term holder net position change” metric has flipped positive for the first time this year. This suggests that long-term Bitcoin investors are capitalizing on market conditions to add significant amounts of BTC to their holdings.

Long-Term Holders Add 167,000 BTC Amid March Crash

Earlier this month, Bitcoin’s price plunged from above $90,000 to around $80,000 during a rapid sell-off​. This price stunned many traders and triggered a continuous wave of liquidations among short-term investors. Yet despite this steep correction, long-term holders treated the sub-$90,000 levels as a buying opportunity rather than a reason to capitulate. 

Related Reading

In other words, coins are moving into wallets that haven’t spent their BTC in a long time, which is a notable reversal after starting 2025 with a negative net position change. This marks the first net accumulation by these “HODLers” in 2025. Glassnode’s Long-Term Holder Net Position Change metric, which had been in the red, flipped “green” as long-term investors aggressively accumulated through the downturn​.

On-chain data shows that this flip to green has seen long-term holders increase their net Bitcoin holdings by more than 167,000 BTC in the past month. This notable influx is valued at nearly $14 billion. In short, the cohort of seasoned holders began scooping up cheap BTC while short-term sentiment was at its bleakest.

Is A Bitcoin Price Recovery Brewing?

The timing of this flip from red selloff to green accumulation among long-term holders is striking, considering what the Bitcoin price went through in the past two weeks. This data suggests that a large part of the Bitcoin crash was caused by panic-selling among short-term holders. This behavior aligns with past market cycles between August and September 2024, where long-term holders accumulated aggressively during a price dip.

Related Reading

Interestingly, Glassnode’s long-term holder metric isn’t the only one pointing to positive Bitcoin sentiment among large holders. After weeks of uncertainty, Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have started seeing net inflows again. On March 17, spot Bitcoin ETFs collectively drew in about $274.6 million, the largest single-day inflow in 28 days and a clear signal of renewed investor interest​.

The very next day brought another wave of fresh capital, with roughly $209 million pouring into Bitcoin funds on March 18​. In fact, this three-day streak represents the first sustained run of positive inflows since February 18, a period during which Bitcoin funds have experienced consecutive days of outflows.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $83,500.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from Tradingview.com

CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju announced today that Bitcoin’s bull cycle “is over” and warned investors to brace for “6–12 months of bearish or sideways price action.” This development comes after the on-chain analytics veteran had previously urged caution but maintained a measured outlook on the market as recently as two weeks ago.

Is The Bitcoin Bull Run Over?

In a post shared today via X, Ki stated:“Bitcoin bull cycle is over, expecting 6–12 months of bearish or sideways price action.”

Related Reading

Along with the comment, the CEO highlighted the Bitcoin PnL Index Cyclical Signals—an index that aggregates multiple on-chain metrics, such as MVRV, SOPR, and NUPL, to pinpoint market tops, bottoms, and cyclical turning points in Bitcoin’s price. According to Ki, this indicator has historically offered reliable buy and sell signals.

He further explained how an automated alert, previously sent to his subscribers, combined these metrics into a 365-day moving average. Once the trend in this 1-year moving average changes, it often signals a significant market inflection point. As proof, Ki also shared a chart: “This alert applies PCA to on-chain indicators like MVRV, SOPR, and NUPL to compute a 365-day moving average. This signal identifies inflection points where the trend of the 1-year moving average changes.”

Ki pointed to drying liquidity and fresh selling pressure by “new whales” who, he said, are unloading Bitcoin at lower prices. Notably, he revealed that CryptoQuant users who subscribed to his alerts received this signal before today’s public announcement. “With fresh liquidity drying up, new whales are selling Bitcoin at lower prices. Cryptoquant users who subscribed to my alerts received this signal a few days ago. I assume they’ve already adjusted their positions, so I’m posting this now.”

Related Reading

This latest declaration contrasts remarks from just four days ago, on March 14, when Ki struck a more cautious tone, stating: “Bitcoin demand seems stuck, but it’s too early to call it a bear market.”

At that time, he shared a chart of the Bitcoin Apparent Demand (30-day sum) indicator, which had turned slightly negative—an early signal that demand might be tapering off. Although Ki pointed out that demand could still rebound (as it has in past sideways phases), he acknowledged the possibility of Bitcoin teetering on the edge of a bear market.

The pivot in sentiment is especially notable given Ki’s stance from two weeks ago. In that earlier post, he opined that the “bull cycle is still intact,” crediting strong fundamentals and growing mining capacity: “There’s no significant on-chain activity, and key indicators are neutral, suggesting the bull cycle is still intact. Fundamentals remain strong, with more mining rigs coming online.”

However, he also cautioned that the market could turn if sentiment did not improve, particularly in the United States. With today’s announcement, the warning has evidently crystallized. Reflecting on the potential downside scenario, Ki said at the time: “If the cycle ends here, it’s an outcome no one wanted—not old whales, mining companies, TradFi, or even Trump. (FYI, the market doesn’t care about retail.)”

At press time, BTC traded at $83,059.

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com