Bitcoin balances on major exchanges drop to levels not seen since last summer’s bull run as demand and BTC price are on the rise.
As July comes to a close, the amount of Bitcoin (BTC) held by major cryptocurrency exchanges has reached its lowest level since late May 2019. At that time, Bitcoin’s price was around $8,000 before continuing toward its 2019 high of $12,967 on July 11, 2019.
Roughly 10% of Bitcoin held by exchanges
The Bitcoin balance held by major exchanges has been dropping significantly since mid-March 2020 following the Black Thursday crash on March 12 and subsequent recovery.
There are 2.64 million BTC collectively held on exchanges as of July 29, according to data from Glassnode, a market and on-chain analytics resource. Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s price continues to climb and recently hitting a yearly high of $11,400
Bitcoin exchange balance vs Bitcoin price. Source: Glassnode
Lower selling pressure plus Tether inflows
Additionally, markets analytics firm, Arcane Research, noted that decreasing balances on exchanges suggest users are showing more interest in holding their Bitcoin for the long term by withdrawing their BTC from exchanges to control their own private keys directly.
This trend means less selling pressure from BTC holders and comes just two months after the 2020 halving that reduced the amount of newly mined Bitcoin in half.
Coupled with the recent increase in Tether (USDT) exchange inflows, which have reached their 2020 high yesterday, and overall supply that’s now over $10 billion, the number of digital dollars waiting on the sidelines to potentially buy BTC is bigger than ever.
Institutional and retail interest in Bitcoin returns
Bitcoin has been looking increasingly attractive lately given its store of value attributes in the face of the inflating U.S. dollar. With yet another COVID-19 stimulus package and what seems to be an overheated stock market, many traders are now seeking the safety of hard assets such as gold and increasingly Bitcoin.
Specifically, institutional interest in Bitcoin seems to be picking up at lightspeed as both Bakkt and CME futures have posted record numbers for two consecutive days in volume and open interest. Additionally, Grayscale has added another $1 billion to its funds in just 11 days, making the total AUM over $5.1 billion across their entire family of products.
CME and Bakkt Bitcoin Futures - Total Open Interest and Volumes. Source: Skew.com
As for the retail market, records have also been broken as Deribit, the leading Bitcoin Options exchange, posted record volumes on July 27 with $527 million in traded Bitcoin options.
Therefore, Bitcoin may be finally ready for another major bull market cycle as the supply of Bitcoin on exchanges decreases at the same time as retail and institutional interest appear to be picking up.
This confluence of bullish factors has led to numerous bullish forecasts from industry experts with some even predicting that this new bull cycle may be much bigger this time around.
“The next Bitcoin bull run will be dramatically different,” said Gemini founder Cameron Winklevoss on July 29.
“Today, there’s exponentially more capital, human capital, infrastructure, and high-quality projects than in 2017. Not to mention the very real specter of inflation that all fiat regimes face going forward. Buckle up!”
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
![Crypto today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP tests key support, TRON network non-stablecoin activity hits new highs](https://editorial.fxstreet.com/images/Markets/Currencies/Digital%20Currencies/Bitcoin/bitcoins-37949586_XtraSmall.jpg)
Crypto today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP tests key support, TRON network non-stablecoin activity hits new highs
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP hover around key support levels after registering a steep correction earlier this week. TRON network’s stablecoin activity hit new highs following the release of SunPump. TRON trades at around $0.1500, almost flat on the day.
![Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: $50,000 on the horizon if it breaks below key support level](https://editorial.fxstreet.com/images/Markets/Currencies/Digital%20Currencies/Bitcoin/bit-coin-symbol-flag-3d-illustration-59931110_XtraSmall.jpg)
Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: $50,000 on the horizon if it breaks below key support level
Bitcoin price tests the key support level at $56,000 on Friday, consolidating over a 1% decline this week. If it drops below this support, a continued downtrend is likely for BTC, as suggested by substantial outflows from US spot Bitcoin ETFs, rising institutional selling, and bearish on-chain indicators.
![Vitalik Buterin says all Layer-2 token holdings will be donated to charity, won’t sell for profit](https://editorial.fxstreet.com/images/Markets/Currencies/Digital%20Currencies/Ethereum/Ethereum_Coins_31_04_XtraSmall.jpg)
Vitalik Buterin says all Layer-2 token holdings will be donated to charity, won’t sell for profit
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum co-founder, has not sold Ether since the altcoin’s ICO in 2018. On-chain transfers by Buterin make headlines as ETH holders keep eyes peeled for selling pressure on the altcoin.
![WazirX, PenPie and Bo Shen hackers launder $42.7 million in stolen funds through Tornado Cash](https://editorial.fxstreet.com/images/Markets/Currencies/Digital%20Currencies/Ethereum/ethereum_4_XtraSmall.jpg)
WazirX, PenPie and Bo Shen hackers launder $42.7 million in stolen funds through Tornado Cash
Three different hackers responsible for the exploit of crypto assets worth millions of dollars from crypto exchange WazirX, DeFi protocol Penpie, and Founder of Fenbushi Capital Bo Shen are using Tornado Cash to move part of the stolen funds.
![Bitcoin: $50,000 on the horizon if it breaks below key support level](https://editorial.fxstreet.com/images/Markets/Currencies/Digital%20Currencies/Bitcoin/bit-coin-symbol-flag-3d-illustration-59931110_XtraSmall.jpg)
Bitcoin: $50,000 on the horizon if it breaks below key support level
Bitcoin (BTC) price tests the key support level at $56,000 on Friday, consolidating over a 1% decline this week. If it drops below this support, a continued downtrend is likely for BTC, as suggested by substantial outflows from US spot Bitcoin ETFs, rising institutional selling, and bearish on-chain indicators.
![Moneta Markets review 2024: All you need to know](https://editorial.fxstreet.com/images/IT/Testing/Review/FXSBadgeCertifiedBackg_XtraSmall.png)
Moneta Markets review 2024: All you need to know
VERIFIED In this review, the FXStreet team provides an independent and thorough analysis based on direct testing and real experiences with Moneta Markets – an excellent broker for novice to intermediate forex traders who want to broaden their knowledge base.