Crypto markets have seen major growth as investors ready to take on more risk on Middle East de-escalation.

Why is crypto up today? Bitcoin, Ethereum, altcoins see big gains

Coinbase says it helped the US Secret Service seize $225 million in crypto 
allegedly stolen by scammers, the largest crypto seizure in the agency’s 
history.

Coinbase claims ‘key role’ in Secret Service’s biggest-ever crypto seizure

Following a weekend dip, Bitcoin has reclaimed the $100,000 price mark, 
signaling renewed short-term strength amid geopolitical tensions. As of the 
time of writing, BTC is trading at $105,323, up by 4% in the last 24 hours. 
The price recovery arrives in broader investor sentiment shifts, both in on- 
chain behavior and exchange activity. A recent analysis from CryptoQuant’s 
analyst Darkfost sheds light on a multi-year transition among Bitcoin holders. 
The analyst observes that fewer Bitcoin addresses are depositing coins onto 
exchanges, a trend that has persisted since the end of the 2021 market cycle. 
This declining activity may not necessarily suggest fading interest in BTC, 
but rather a transformation in how investors interact with the asset, 
potentially hinting at longer-term strategies becoming the norm. Related 
Reading: Bitcoin’s Drop Below $100k Sparks Bearish Chatter, But Data Says 
Something Else Decline in Exchange Deposits Suggests Structural Market Shift 
According to Darkfost, between 2015 and 2021, the number of Bitcoin addresses 
depositing funds to exchanges steadily increased, peaking at an annual average 
of around 180,000. However, this upward trend has reversed sharply in the 
years since. The 10-year moving average now hovers around 90,000, while the 
30-day average has fallen to 48,000. Most recently, the daily figure dropped 
to just 37,000. Darkfost mentioned: This reflects a significant behavioral 
change among BTC investors, which can likely be attributed to several key 
factors : &#8211; One major factor is the arrival of ETFs, which allow exposure to 
Bitcoin&#8217;s price performance without the complexity or risk of directly 
managing the asset. Additionally, the current market cycle has seen relatively 
low retail participation, which historically contributed to exchange deposits. 
More notably, an increasing number of investors, ranging from individuals to 
institutions, are treating Bitcoin as a long-term store of value or treasury 
reserve asset rather than a short-term speculative vehicle. The CryptoQuant 
analyst added: These shifts, which have emerged gradually over time, are 
precisely what drive Bitcoin&#8217;s evolving identity in financial markets. It may 
well be this transformation that ultimately solidifies BTC’s role as a store 
of value. Bitcoin Whale Accumulation Patterns Emerge Amid Lower Volume In a 
separate analysis, another CryptoQuant analyst, Mignolet, focused on activity 
by large holders on the Bybit exchange. He highlighted that as general market 
interest and trading volume diminish, the trading patterns of whales become 
more visible. Mignolet noted that previous periods of reduced sentiment and 
low volume often saw significant whale accumulation, which historically 
preceded upward price movements. Related Reading: Bitcoin Repeats Its 2021 
Pattern—Analyst Warns Final Crash Still Ahead This pattern, according to 
Mignolet, appears to be repeating. Since Bitcoin&#8217;s local bottom in April, 
consistent accumulation by large entities has been observed on Bybit. He 
suggested this could be a signal of underlying market confidence, particularly 
when retail activity is minimal. While not a guaranteed forecast, historical 
parallels imply that such behavior may again precede broader price strength, 
lending weight to ongoing consolidation as a potential setup for future 
momentum. Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView

Bitcoin Exchange Activity Declines as Accumulation Patterns Persist

South Korea&#8217;s central bank is advocating for a phased introduction of won- 
denominated stablecoins, initially prioritizing regulated commercial banks for 
their issuance. Stablecoins Could Significantly Influence Korean Monetary 
Policy South Korea&#8217;s central bank is advocating for a phased introduction of 
won-denominated stablecoins, prioritizing rigorously regulated commercial 
banks for initial issuance. According to Ryoo Sang-dai, senior deputy […]

Korean Central Bank Advocates Measured Stablecoin Approach

Metaplanet&#8217;s massive Bitcoin investment could accelerate global corporate 
adoption, influencing market dynamics and digital asset strategies.
The post Metaplanet raises $517M in a single day to buy more Bitcoin appeared 
first on Crypto Briefing.

Metaplanet raises $517M in a single day to buy more Bitcoin

Ethereum&#8217;s price roller-coaster has drawn a dramatic wager from big players. 
While many smaller traders are bracing for more losses, a handful of massive 
accounts have broken the surface and put millions in a massive show of force. 
Related Reading: Bitcoin Paces $15 Billion YTD Influx Amid 10-Week Fund Flow 
Streak Ethereum Whale Bets Surface According to on-chain data, one whale 
opened a long position worth $101 million at an entry price of $2,247, using 
25x leverage. That bet paid off with roughly $950,000 in profit, but it also 
cost $2.5 million in fees. These numbers show just how high the stakes have 
become. High Fees Cut Into Gains This whale further withdrew 18,000 $ETH worth 
$40.38M from #Binance. Now, the whale holds 50,256 $ETH worth $112.62M, 
currently down $2.24M Address: 0x3952d69643f7a87237c7fc8bb33f8453c0b45500 
https://t.co/49vC0iqMZP pic.twitter.com/rF5cX2gsXZ — Onchain Lens 
(@OnchainLens) June 23, 2025 Based on reports from On-Chain Lens, another 
whale moved over $40 million in Ether from Binance before opening its own 
leveraged trade. Combine the two wallets and you’ve got about $112 million 
riding on an ETH bounce. Yet those $2.5 million in fees highlight the hidden 
cost of big bets. Middle East Tension Hits Prices ETH slipped to about $2,113 
on Sunday, marking its lowest level in 30 days. That drop came after US 
military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. United States President Donald Trump 
called the operation a “spectacular success” and warned of more action if Iran 
didn’t back down. Traders say the fallout from those strikes rattled global 
markets and fed crypto volatility. Retail Traders Watch Closely Retail traders 
tend to sell when prices drop. But these whales have the scope to weather 
downswings. Their large purchases indicate that they find value at current 
levels. Short traders might not agree, however. They&#8217;re sitting in many short 
positions, expecting ETH to decline further before it will rise. What The 
Whales See Experts say large holders tend to have lower break-even points. 
They can afford to wait months or years for a payoff. Some also use complex 
strategies across multiple markets. That makes their moves hard to read from 
the outside. Still, when you see $112 million on the line, it’s a hint that 
smart money senses a buying window. Related Reading: Bitcoin Paces $15 Billion 
YTD Influx Amid 10-Week Fund Flow Streak Risks On Both Sides Leveraged trades 
amplify gains and losses equally. A 5% drop would trigger a forced sell-off on 
a 25x position. That could feed a sharp decline in ETH’s price. On the other 
hand, if the market turns up, those whales could pocket big returns well 
beyond what retail traders see. Investors will be watching every market swing. 
If geopolitical tensions cool and big money stays bullish, ETH could find 
footing above $2,200. But another shock—political or technical—might send the 
price tumbling again. Featured image from Imagen, chart from TradingView