Analysis: With whale buying slowing and retail investor interest surging, Bitcoin faces "late-cycle vulnerability."

PANews reported on December 1st that, according to The Block, Bitcoin's price plummeted below $86,000 on Monday morning. Simultaneously, wallet behavior shifted, indicating that large holders slowed their accumulation pace as smaller retail wallets accelerated their buying. Analysts warn that this pattern often foreshadows increased vulnerability later in the cycle. On-chain data shows that in recent weeks, the pace of accumulation by long-term holders and large wallet groups has slowed significantly. In contrast, small wallets holding less than one Bitcoin have accelerated their buying during the recent price drop.

Timothy Misir, Head of Research at BRN, stated that the market structure is at a delicate stage, and this divergence is already evident. He said, "Whales are slowing their buying while retail wallets are increasing their holdings, which is a typical late-cycle pattern that exacerbates short-term vulnerability. This morning's sell-off is a typical liquidity and positioning event; the market is not signaling a trend reversal, but rather a stress signal." He added that short-term holders experienced a surge in losses during the sell-off, indicating a "sentiment reset" in the market. Exchange balances and stablecoin inflows suggest that the market has both buying power and potential selling liquidity.