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Bitcoin Wallets Holding at Least 100 BTC Rise 11.2% From a Year Earlier

Bitcoin Wallets Holding at Least 100 BTC Rise 11.2% From a Year Earlier

According to Cointelegraph, Santiment data shows 20,229 wallets now hold at least 100 Bitcoin, pointing to continued accumulation by whales and institutional investors during volatile market conditions.

BTC

Fact Check
The claim is strongly supported by the primary source itself: Santiment's own published insight ('Bitcoin Whale Numbers Have Risen Significantly While Prices Have Been in Hibernation') explicitly states that wallets holding at least 100 BTC rose to 20,229 from 18,191 a year prior, which is mathematically consistent with an 11.2% increase ((20229-18191)/18191 = 11.2%). This is independently corroborated by Cointelegraph's official X post, TradingView/Coinpedia's news article, Odaily News, and BSCNews, all published on May 19, 2026. All sources are consistent on the key figures (20,229 wallets, 11.2% YoY increase, Santiment as the data originator). The claim accurately attributes the data to Santiment and correctly characterizes the trend as reflecting whale and institutional accumulation during volatile market conditions.
Summary

Santiment data cited by Cointelegraph shows that the number of wallets holding at least 100 Bitcoin has climbed to 20,229, up about 11.2% from a year ago. The figures suggest that whales (large holders of cryptocurrency) and institutional investors have continued accumulating Bitcoin despite market volatility. In crypto markets, rising balances among larger wallets are often watched as a sign of sustained conviction from deep-pocketed participants, although wallet counts do not by themselves identify the exact owners behind each address.

Terms & Concepts
  • Whales: Large cryptocurrency holders whose buying or selling activity can influence market liquidity and sentiment.
  • Institutional investors: Organizations such as asset managers or funds that deploy large amounts of capital into financial markets, including digital assets.
  • Wallet: A blockchain address or storage tool used to hold and transfer cryptocurrency, though one entity may control multiple wallets.