Ethereum Experiences $418.8 Million Net Selling Pressure Despite $73 Million ETF Capital Injections
In the realm of cryptocurrencies, August 5, 2025, was a day marked by significant events. Two whale wallets offloaded nearly $69 million in Ethereum (ETH), kickstarting a broader sell-off totaling about $418.8 million [4][2]. This selling wave led to price volatility and a potential 25-35% pullback in Ethereum's price.
The $68 million transfer of ETH to exchanges suggests these whales might have been moving funds to liquidate or reposition their holdings amid short-term market uncertainty [4]. Interestingly, while this selling pressure was prevalent, other whales were actively accumulating large amounts of ETH during the same period. Reports indicate mega whales bought $300 million worth of ETH, and institutional inflows also increased, indicating mixed market sentiment and strategic repositioning among large holders [5].
Despite the volatility, Ethereum's price remained relatively stable, fluctuating between $3,550 and $3,675. The Supertrend chart suggests buyers are defending dips, and $4,000 may soon be retested if momentum holds. Ethereum's market cap stood at $436.08 billion, while 24-hour volume totaled $29.88 billion [6].
Other cryptocurrencies also saw movement on this eventful day. Bitcoin and Cardano dropped 4% in price, while Polkadot's DOT aimed for $4.68. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) clarified its stance on liquid staking rules, some activities falling outside securities laws, and modernized stablecoin rules, easing regulatory barriers [9][10].
In other news, the CFTC explored the possibility of spot crypto trading on futures exchanges, and the SEC clarified its stance on liquidity mining activities [8]. The U.S.-regulated gold token platform Streamex was launched, and MEXC opened registration for "MEXC Win: Blazing Arena" Futures Team Tournament with a $10M prize pool [1][3]. Emirates announced its intention to accept Bitcoin and crypto payments by 2025 [2].
Analyst TedPillows stated that Ethereum is showing stronger momentum than Bitcoin. However, CryptoQuant data shows takers sold 115.4K more ETH than buyers were willing to absorb, resulting in a significant daily net taker volume of -$418.8 million [7]. ETH exchange-traded funds recorded $73.3 million in net inflows on August 5, 2025 [6].
In summary, the two whale wallets' offloading of $69 million in ETH on August 5, 2025, appears to be driven by profit-taking or liquidity needs amid a larger sell-off wave. This reflects the volatile and dynamic behavior of large Ethereum holders responding to short-term market movements and broader macro trends in the crypto market [4][2][5].
- The cryptocurrency market analysis from August 5, 2025, indicates a significant event occurred when two whale wallets sold nearly $69 million in Ethereum (ETH), causing a broader sell-off, which might have been attributable to profit-taking or liquidity needs on the part of these large holders.
- Despite the increased selling pressure, some whales were actively accumulating large amounts of ETH during the same period, suggesting a mixed market sentiment and strategic repositioning among large crypto holders.
- The SEC's clarification on liquid staking rules and modernized stablecoin rules, alongside the CFTC's exploration of spot crypto trading on futures exchanges, reflects ongoing regulatory efforts to ease barriers in the crypto trading sector, particularly in crypto exchanges and the blockchain industry.
