Ethereum Market Sees Divergent Whale Moves: Fenbushi Capital Unstakes $25M ETH, Anonymous Whale Buys $162M

2 hour ago 3 sources neutral

Key takeaways:

  • The $162M accumulation likely signals institutional positioning ahead of key ETF decisions, outweighing the $25M sell pressure.
  • Watch if the whale's ETH moves to cold storage, confirming a long-term bullish thesis for the asset.
  • Contrasting flows highlight Ethereum's market maturity, where large transactions are absorbed without major price disruption.

In a 24-hour period showcasing contrasting market strategies, two major Ethereum transactions have captured the attention of the crypto community. On one side, a wallet linked to prominent venture capital firm Fenbushi Capital unstaked and transferred a significant amount of ETH to an exchange, while on the other, an anonymous entity executed a massive accumulation of the asset.

Fenbushi Capital Wallet Moves $25 Million in ETH to Binance

On January 19, 2026, a crypto wallet associated with Fenbushi Capital unstaked 7,798 ETH, valued at approximately $25 million, and deposited the entire amount into the Binance exchange. The transaction was first identified by on-chain tracker Lookonchain and verified using Arkham Intelligence data. The ETH had been staked in an EigenLayer contract for nearly two years before being withdrawn and sent to the exchange. At the time of the transfer, Ethereum was trading near $3,200.

Fenbushi Capital, co-founded in 2015 and closely linked to Ethereum's early ecosystem, is a respected venture firm. Its wallet activity is closely monitored, as large transfers to exchanges are often interpreted as potential precursors to selling, which can add short-term downward pressure. However, analysts note this could also be part of routine portfolio rebalancing or treasury management, similar to a move in November 2025 where Fenbushi-linked wallets transferred over 10,400 ETH to Binance.

Anonymous Whale Accumulates $162 Million in ETH

In a starkly different move, an unidentified Ethereum whale address (0x81D) accumulated a staggering 50,537 ETH—worth roughly $162 million—within a single 24-hour window. This transaction, first reported by on-chain analyst ai_9684xtpa and confirmed via Arkham data, represents one of the largest single-entity purchases in recent months, equating to about 0.042% of Ethereum's circulating supply.

The purchases were executed across multiple blocks, likely using several exchanges to minimize market impact. The scale and sophistication of the trade suggest involvement from an institutional player or an ultra-high-net-worth individual. Such large accumulations are viewed as a strong signal of long-term confidence, as they directly reduce available supply on exchanges and can establish key price support levels. Market sentiment analytics showed a positive shift following the report of this accumulation.

Market Implications and Analysis

The concurrent events present a nuanced picture for Ethereum. The Fenbushi transfer introduces a potential source of selling pressure, though the $25 million sum is relatively small compared to Ethereum's daily trading volume, which regularly measures in the billions. The anonymous $162 million purchase, conversely, indicates substantial bullish conviction. Analysts are now monitoring whether the newly acquired ETH will be moved to cold storage or staking contracts, which would signal a long-term holding strategy.

These movements underscore the transparent yet complex nature of blockchain markets, where whale activity provides real-time, high-level flow data. The actions occur against a backdrop of ongoing developments around spot Ethereum ETFs and network upgrades, which continue to shape fundamental investment theses for the asset.

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