In the cryptocurrency market, whales often dominate market trends. Their trading strategies are very discreet, but they are not without traces. Many retail investors lose money because they do not understand the trading methods of whales and are harvested by them. As a seasoned cryptocurrency analyst, I have summarized several common trading strategies of whales through years of observation and research. Today, I will share them with you. By learning these, you too can make money alongside the whales and avoid being harvested.
The first trading strategy: Accumulation. Before a whale buys a certain cryptocurrency, they will conduct an accumulation operation. The purpose of accumulation is to collect a large number of chips at a low price in preparation for subsequent price increases. The whale's accumulation method is very discreet, usually buying in small batches during times of market pessimism to avoid attracting market attention. At this time, the market's trading volume will be relatively low, and prices will also fluctuate at low levels.
How to determine if a whale is accumulating? You can pay attention to the following signals: First, if the exchange balance continues to decrease, it indicates that funds are being transferred to private wallets, possibly indicating whale accumulation; Second, if the on-chain transaction volume is steadily increasing but the price fluctuations are small, it indicates that a large amount of funds is buying in at low prices; Finally, when market sentiment is in a state of extreme fear, retail investors are cutting losses and exiting the market, this is a good time for whales to accumulate. At the end of 2022, such signals appeared in the Bitcoin market, with whales accumulating heavily in the $15,000-$20,000 range, and later the price of Bitcoin rose several times.
The second type of trading method: washing. After the whale completes accumulation, they will conduct a washing operation. The purpose of washing is to clear out retail investors from the market, allowing those with weak resolve to sell off their positions, thereby raising the market's holding cost in preparation for subsequent rises. Whale washing methods usually involve suppressing prices to create panic, making retail investors mistakenly believe that the market will continue to decline.
How to determine if a whale is washing? You can pay attention to the following signals: First, if the price drops rapidly but the transaction volume does not increase, it indicates that this is the whale suppressing the price, not retail investors panicking and selling; Second, if key support levels have not been broken, it indicates that the whale is protecting the market; Finally, after the washing is completed, the price will rebound quickly, and the transaction volume will also increase. For example, in the first half of 2025, a certain quality altcoin showed such a situation, where the whale washed away a large number of retail investors, and later the price rose by over 200%.
The third type of trading method: rising. After the washing is completed, whales will begin to push the price up. The purpose of rising is to drive the price up, attracting retail investors to enter the market in preparation for subsequent selling. Whale rising methods usually involve large orders to quickly push the price up, create a profit effect, and induce retail investors to FOMO, blindly chasing high prices.
How to determine if a whale is rising? You can pay attention to the following signals: First, if the price rises rapidly and the transaction volume dramatically increases, it indicates that a large amount of capital is buying in; Second, if market sentiment shifts from fear to greed, retail investors are entering the market; Finally, if discussions about this cryptocurrency on social media increase significantly, with various 'get rich' stories circulating. At this time, whales will sell in batches at high levels while retail investors are buying at high levels.
The fourth type of trading method: selling. After the price has risen, whales will begin to sell. The purpose of selling is to sell chips at a high level and realize profits. Whale selling methods are very covert, usually selling in small batches to avoid attracting market attention. At this time, the market transaction volume will gradually decrease, and the price will also fluctuate at a high level.
How to determine if a whale is selling? You can pay attention to the following signals: First, if the exchange balance continues to increase, it indicates that funds are being transferred to the platform in preparation for selling, possibly indicating whale selling; Second, if the price is fluctuating at a high level and the transaction volume is gradually decreasing, this indicates insufficient buying pressure and an increase in selling pressure; Finally, when market sentiment is in a state of extreme greed, retail investors are entering the market to take over, this is a good time for whales to sell. At the top of the 2021 bull market, many whales sold at high levels, and the market later collapsed, causing retail investors to suffer significant losses.
Lastly, I remind everyone: Although the whale's trading methods are covert, as long as we observe carefully, we can discover the patterns within. During the investment process, closely monitor on-chain data and market sentiment, learn to judge the whale's trading phases, layout during the accumulation and washing phases, hold during the rising phase, and exit during the selling phase. This way, you can make money with the whales and avoid being harvested. I will share more practical tips and knowledge on identifying whale trading methods later, follow me @链上标哥 so you don't get lost!
