Retail Frenzy: Small Ethereum Investors Hit All-Time High as Whales Retreat

As a researcher with experience in the cryptocurrency market and blockchain technology, I find the recent trend of smaller Ethereum investors continuing to accumulate ETH at an all-time high while larger investors are still lagging intriguing. According to data from Santiment, there are now over 121 million small Ethereum wallets holding 10 or less ETH, a significant increase since the beginning of the year. In contrast, those with between 10 and 10,000 ETH and larger whales holding over 10,000 ETH are still experiencing losses.


As a researcher studying Ethereum ($ETH) investment trends, I’ve noticed an intriguing development: The number of small investors, holding 10 ETH or less (approximately $37,500), has reached a new peak. Conversely, larger investors appear to be trailing behind, with many having sold off significant portions of their holdings during the previous months.

Based on information from the cryptanalysis firm Santiment, there has been a new record high of approximately 121.74 million smaller Ethereum wallets following the recent increase in ETH prices. In contrast, Ethereum holders with between 10 and 10,000 ETH (roughly $37,500 to $37.5 million) have experienced a decline of approximately 5.8% in value this year.

As a financial analyst, I’ve observed a significant trend among larger investors holding Ethereum (ETH), specifically those with more than $37.5 million worth of this cryptocurrency. Over the past few months, these “whales” have sold off a substantial portion of their ETH holdings, resulting in a 10.6% decrease in their overall ETH wealth.

The number of Ethereum wallets holding between 10 and 100 Ether (approximately $12,000 at current prices) has hit a new record high of 121.74 million. In contrast, the number of wallets possessing between 1000 and 10,000 Ether (around $1.2 million) has decreased by 5.8% over the past year, and those with over 10,000 Ether have seen a decline of 10.6%.

— Santiment (@santimentfeed) May 21, 2024

Significantly, the cost of Ether has risen notably in recent times due to reports suggesting the possible approval of spot ETH exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has demanded that exchanges intending to list and deal with these funds revise essential filings, generating anticipation that the regulatory body may be leaning towards approving these financial instruments.

As an analyst, I would explain it this way: Prior to initiating any trades in spot Ethereum Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), the issuers must first gain approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on their S-1 registration statements. The SEC does not have a predetermined timeline for evaluating these filings.

As a researcher following the developments in the cryptocurrency space, I’ve noticed an increase in scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding Ether, the native digital currency of the Ethereum blockchain. This heightened interest comes in the wake of Ethereum’s shift to a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism.

If Ether is considered a security by the SEC, they may have justification to reject the proposals for spot Ether ETFs. At the same time, the growing interest has resulted in an increase in smaller Ethereum investors and a significant rise in its trading activity.

/1 Chart of the Week: #Ethereum jumped 17.8% in just 2 hours (22:46 May 20 – 00:46 May 21) after ETF analysts revised their predictions of the SEC approving a spot Ether ETF.Trading volume spiked 618%, hitting $21M within minutes, per our CCIX index for ETH-USD. — CCData (@CCData_io) May 21, 2024

As a crypto investor, I’m excitedly monitoring the latest developments regarding the SEC’s potential decision on spot Ether Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). The Cboe exchange has recently submitted amended 19b-4 filings in response to regulatory feedback from the SEC for various applicants, including heavyweights like BlackRock, Fidelity, VanEck, and Franklin Templeton. These filings suggest that the SEC is seriously considering approving these ETF proposals.

After the SEC made a request for uniform revisions in filing applications, these submissions were made. Although the ultimate approval of these applications is still undecided, the industry is buoyed by positive feedback, with some expecting approvals as soon as this week.

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2024-05-23 04:12