‘Mixed signals’ for Bitcoin after Bhutan sells, BlackRock buys big – Details

Despite ongoing global tensions, Bitcoin’s price action has so far hinted at resilience. However, something may be cooking behind the scenes. While BTC has reclaimed the $71,500-level, the market is currently seeing a clear tug-of-war between distribution and accumulation.

On one hand, data from Arkham indicated that Bhutan’s government has been steadily offloading Bitcoin [BTC], with over 500 BTC entering the market and adding visible selling pressure.

Source: Arkham

On the other hand, institutional demand has been stepping in just as aggressively. BlackRock, for instance, withdrew more than 2,200 BTC from exchanges – A move typically associated with long-term accumulation rather than short-term selling.

Source: Arkham

This may be a sign that supply entering the market is being efficiently absorbed by stronger hands. If Bitcoin continues to hold above the $71,200-support and manages to break through the $72,500-resistance, it would signal that buyers are firmly in control.

Bitcoin exchange netflow analysis

Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s on-chain data has been painting a picture of a market that is quietly strengthening under the carpet. A closer look at exchange flows revealed a consistent pattern of net outflows, signaling that investors may be steadily withdrawing BTC from exchanges.

Source: CryptoQuant

This behavior typically reflects accumulation, as coins moved off exchanges are less likely to be sold in the immediate term.

Even during periods of volatility, such as in mid-March when sharp inflows were followed by a massive outflow, the broader trend remained intact.

On-chain metrics confirm this trend

At the same time, long-term holder activity might provide us deeper insights into market behavior.

Metrics like Mean Coin Age, Age Consumed, and Dormant Circulation all showed that while most coins have continued to age in wallets, there have been occasional spikes. During the same, older coins briefly moved, particularly in early, mid, and late-March.

Source: Santiment

Such bursts often indicate profit-taking or strategic repositioning by larger holders. However, since Mean Coin Age quickly recovers after each spike, it also means that coins return to dormancy just as fast, reinforcing a broader trend of accumulation rather than sustained distribution.

Further supporting this narrative is the behavior of the Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR), which has largely hovered around the critical level of 1.

Source: CryptoQuant

It alluded to a market in equilibrium, where neither profit-taking nor loss-driven selling has been overwhelmingly dominant. The recent drop to around 0.982 suggested another round of weak hands being flushed out, even as Bitcoin held on near the $71K-level.

Taken together, these metrics all pointed to market that may be consolidating, rather than weakening.

**Similar moves in the past **

These movements align with a broader shift in market behavior. For instance – A Bitcoin whale, inactive for over 13 years, recently resurfaced, signaling that even the oldest holders are beginning to reposition.

A similar pattern emerged on 24 March, where a whale deployed around $16 million into altcoins like ENA, AAVE, AVAX, along with UNI and PENDLE. All this is evidence that rather than exiting, whales might be reallocating, quietly positioning for a stronger rally on the charts ahead.

Final Summary

• _Persistent exchange outflows reinforced the narrative of long-term holding and reduced immediate selling risk. _
• Short-term volatility has continued to flush out weak hands, as seen through SOPR dips below 1.