The cryptocurrency market is still under pressure after the latest FOMC meeting. The Federal Reserve made its third interest rate cut of the year by 25 basis points, but the tone afterwards was more cautious than expected. Inflation risks and signals of slower growth have kept prices weak for most major assets. Despite the downturn, crypto whales are quietly buying more for their portfolios.

They have bought the most of three tokens that show early signs of recovery or breakthrough.

Aster (ASTER)

Aster's price has fallen by almost 4% in the last day and the decline over the past month is about 14%. But whales are doing the opposite and buying.

They increased their holdings by 7.35% over the last day and bought about 4.59 million ASTER, worth approximately 4.22 million USD at the current price. Interestingly, ASTER is one of the few coins that whales purchased both before and after the FOMC announcement.

This purchase stands out because the chart shows a technical signal that may explain why whales acted.

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Between November 3 and December 11, Aster price created a higher bottom, while RSI showed a lower bottom. RSI, or Relative Strength Index, measures the strength of buying and selling. When the price goes up but RSI falls, we get a hidden positive divergence. This usually signals that selling pressure is decreasing despite the chart looking weak.

Aster showed the same pattern between November 3 and December 1. This divergence resulted in an increase of nearly 22%. Now the pattern looks similar, and whales may be preparing for similar returns.

To continue upward, Aster needs to close the day clearly above 1.08 USD, where the last rise stopped. If the price goes above that line, it could aim for 1.25 USD and 1.40 USD, which are the next major resistances.

If the pattern weakens instead, the downside is clear. A daily close below 0.88 USD breaks the upward trend and decreases whale confidence. Below that level, ASTER could test 0.81 USD or lower.

Maple Finance (SYRUP)

Maple Finance (SYRUP) has lost about 2.2% in the last 24 hours and nearly 40% in a month. Although the price is weak, crypto whales continue to build on their positions. Regular whale wallets increased their holdings by 3.86% over the last day, while mega-whales added 4.9%, reaching a total of 1.1 billion SYRUP.

The increase of 4.9% means that mega-whales added around 51.4 million SYRUP, which is approximately 14.4 million USD at the current price. The new accumulation occurs directly after the more cautious FOMC tone, making the purchases even more interesting.

Whales seem to trust that the support at 0.23 USD holds. SYRUP has tested this level several times since early December. The price has not yet broken it, which may explain why whales are buying. The token has moved within the range of 0.23 to 0.31 USD, with the latest test of support on December 4.

The strength has given a short-term boost. Between December 9 and 11, the price made a lower bottom while RSI stood higher. RSI measures the strength of buying and selling. When the price falls but RSI rises, a positive divergence forms. In shorter time frames, it can often provide a lift even in a downtrend.

If a rise occurs, the first target is 0.31 USD, the ceiling that has prevented every attempt since December 6. A clear breakthrough above 0.31 USD opens the path towards 0.39 and 0.48 USD.

But if SYRUP drops below 0.23 USD, whale confidence decreases. A break below support opens downside and could reset the pattern.

Pudgy Penguins (PENGU)

Pudgy Penguins has fallen nearly 10% over the past day, but large crypto investors continue to buy during the downturn. Large wallets increased their holdings by 5.25%, and now have a total of 1.18 billion PENGU. This means they have purchased approximately 58.9 million PENGU as well.

The 100 largest addresses, or mega whales, also show a steady increase. Their holdings increased by 2.85% over the past day, and they now own a total of 76.95 billion PENGU. This means they have added approximately 2.13 billion tokens, worth almost 21.3 million USD at today's price. For a token that has just lost double digits, such accumulated buying activity from whales and mega whales is unusual.

PENGU's price chart shows why whales continue to buy. Pudgy Penguins is forming an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern on the daily chart. This is typically a positive reversal pattern, often seen when a downturn is losing strength. The neckline is near 0.014 USD, and since it slopes upward, it indicates that buyers' positions are strengthening even before a breakout occurs.

The whales are likely betting on a breakout. If PENGU closes above 0.014 USD, the pattern's height indicates a possible movement of around 35%, which sets the target near 0.019 USD. This is likely why large wallets are buying despite the weak price.

But the pattern has clear levels that invalidate it. If Pudgy Penguins drops below 0.010 USD, the setup weakens. A fall below 0.009 USD completely invalidates the pattern and removes the positive scenario. Currently, as long as PENGU remains above 0.010 USD, the inverse head-and-shoulders pattern applies, and large crypto investors seem ready for a possible breakout.