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Finance

Bitcoin’s Next Surge: Will Whale Sell-Offs Clear the Path to $150,000?

Bitcoin‘s rise to $150K held back by whale sales, potentially surging after; analysts see $180-250K by 2025.

byAndres Castro

September 2, 2025, 9:56 AM

Executive Summary

Bitcoin’s ascent to $150,000 is currently hindered by the selling activities of two significant “whales,” according to Nakamoto CEO David Bailey.

Large Bitcoin whale transactions have recently caused market volatility, including a flash crash and the liquidation of leveraged positions.

Despite current selling pressure, analysts project diverse long-term price increases for Bitcoin, with some anticipating it could reach $150,000-$250,000 by late 2025.

The Story So Far

The current hindrance to Bitcoin’s price surge, despite optimistic long-term projections, is attributed to the selling activities of “whales”—large holders whose substantial transactions can significantly influence market dynamics and create volatility, triggering negative sentiment and flash crashes. This selling pressure, once concluded, is expected to clear the path for a potential rally, with many analysts forecasting Bitcoin could reach $150,000 to $250,000 by late 2025.

Why This Matters

The ongoing selling activities of two significant “whales” are currently hindering Bitcoin’s ascent to the $150,000 mark, contributing to market volatility and cautious sentiment. However, once these large sell-offs conclude, the cryptocurrency is widely anticipated to experience a substantial surge, with many analysts projecting a climb to $180,000–$250,000 by late 2025, suggesting that current market pressure is a temporary factor in a broadly bullish long-term outlook for Bitcoin.

Who Thinks What?

David Bailey, CEO of Nakamoto, believes Bitcoin’s ascent to $150,000 is currently impeded by the selling activities of two large “whales,” after which he expects a significant surge.

Bitcoin whales’ recent large-scale selling activities are causing price volatility and contributing to market downturns, as evidenced by major sell-offs leading to flash crashes and liquidations.

Various market analysts, including Steven McClurg, Alex Thorn, Arthur Hayes, and Tom Lee, are optimistic about Bitcoin’s long-term potential, projecting prices to reach between $140,000-$150,000 in the coming year and $150,000-$250,000 by late 2025.

Bitcoin’s ascent to the $150,000 mark is currently hindered by the selling activities of two significant “whales,” according to David Bailey, CEO of Bitcoin holding company Nakamoto. Bailey suggests that once these large holders complete their sell-offs, the cryptocurrency could experience a substantial surge, with some analysts projecting an even higher climb to $180,000–$250,000 by late 2025.

Whale Activity Impacting Bitcoin Price

In an X post on Tuesday, Bailey stated that the only factor preventing Bitcoin from reaching $150,000 is the ongoing sales by two massive whales. He indicated that one whale has finished selling, and the other is halfway through, implying an “up only” trajectory once these transactions conclude.

A move to $150,000 would represent an approximate 36% increase from Bitcoin’s price of $110,240 at the time of writing, according to CoinMarketCap data. Bitcoin has seen a 2.92% decrease over the past 30 days.

Understanding Bitcoin Whales

Bitcoin whales are defined as individuals or organizations that hold substantial amounts of Bitcoin in their wallets, possessing the capacity to significantly influence market dynamics. Their trading activities are closely monitored by market participants, as large sell-offs can trigger negative sentiment and price volatility.

Recent days have seen several large whale transactions that have impacted the Bitcoin market. On August 24, a Bitcoin whale sold approximately 24,000 BTC, valued at around $2.7 billion, which contributed to a flash crash. This event reportedly led to the liquidation of about $500 million in leveraged positions within minutes, according to QCP.

Earlier, on August 21, another Bitcoin whale, who had held their assets for over five years, began shifting funds into Ether. This involved selling $4 billion worth of Bitcoin through the decentralized exchange Hyperliquid.

Market Sentiment Reflects Volatility

The recent volatile market sentiment pushed the Crypto Fear & Greed Index into the “Fear” zone on Saturday. The index has since fluctuated between “Fear” and “Neutral,” registering a “Neutral” score of 49 on Tuesday, indicating a cautious yet not entirely pessimistic outlook among investors.

Diverse Price Projections for Bitcoin

While Bailey points to immediate whale activity, other analysts offer varied long-term predictions for Bitcoin. Steven McClurg, CEO of Canary Capital, recently suggested there is a greater than 50% probability that Bitcoin could reach the $140,000 to $150,000 range before a potential bear market in the coming year.

Looking further ahead, some experts anticipate even higher valuations. Alex Thorn, head of firmwide research at Galaxy Digital, projected in December that Bitcoin could trade between $150,000 and $180,000 by the close of 2025. Similarly, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes and Fundstrat co-founder Tom Lee have both indicated that Bitcoin could reach $250,000 by the end of 2025.

In summary, while the Bitcoin market faces immediate pressure from large whale sell-offs, a significant portion of the analyst community remains optimistic about its potential for substantial price appreciation in the coming years.