Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Dump 143K BTC: Profit-Taking Resumes as Price Lags Alts & Stocks at $90K

Veteran Bitcoin holders are cashing out BIG time. Long-term holders (LTHs) just dumped 143,000 BTC over the past 30 days—the most aggressive sell-off since August. That's over $12 billion at current prices! BTC's stuck lagging around $90K while altcoins surge and traditional markets like the S&P 500 rally amid dollar weakness. Even ETH OGs are joining: As @MartyXBT tweeted, a whale held ETH from $64 for 9 years before sending 135K ETH ($400M profit) to Gemini. Is this the top signal or smart profit-taking?

Let's break it down. On-chain data screams distribution. Glassnode metrics show LTH supply shock reversing after months of accumulation. These diamond hands—holding 6+ months—are now realizing massive gains from the 2025 bull run. Why now? BTC underperforms. While alts like SOL and meme coins pump 20-50% weekly, King Bitcoin flatlines. Traditional assets shine too: Nasdaq up 5% YTD, gold hitting records on Fed rate cut bets. Dollar index (DXY) crumbling opens doors for risk-on, but BTC misses the boat. Profit-taking makes sense. Many LTHs bought sub-$10K; at $90K, that's 9x+ returns. CryptoQuant notes reassessment above $40K, but lagging macro fuels exits. ETH mirrors: Dormant whales awaken, depositing to exchanges like Gemini after years of HODL. Bold claim: This isn't panic—it's strategic. Vets rotate to alts or fiat amid Fed pivot hype. X chatter echoes: 'LTH selling intensifies as BTC lags.' But history shows exhaustion leads to bottoms.

Short-term pain for BTC: Added supply pressures price toward $80K support. Alts steal spotlight, dominance drops below 55%. ETFs absorb some, but $1.3B outflows sting. Bigger picture? LTH divestment nears saturation—K33 predicts easing in 2026. Once selling dries, net demand from corps/ETFs ignites rebound. Volatility compresses, setting Q2 rally. Alts' surge? Classic mid-cycle rotation.

LTH selling signals cycle shift, not endgame. Vets locking profits after epic runs paves way for fresh blood. Watch for spent output exhaustion—bullish flip incoming. BTC to $150K+? Bet on it when supply shock fades. Stay strapped, legends: Next leg up rewards the patient.