The assessment is "likely_true" with high confidence based on strong, consistent evidence from multiple sources supporting both components of the statement. First, the claim of increased spot holdings by whales is overwhelmingly supported. A highly relevant news report details a specific, massive $284 million Ethereum whale transfer, a clear instance of spot movement. Other crypto news and research articles corroborate this trend more broadly, explicitly stating that whales are significantly accumulating both Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin (BTC) and that whale flows show spot outflows from exchanges, which indicates accumulation into private custody. Further evidence comes from a social media post by a crypto finance platform indicating that whale accumulation pressure for Bitcoin is near historical highs, and market analysis speculates that whales are 'loading up' on spot assets.Second, the claim of a reduction in leveraged positions is also well-supported, though more thematically. A report from a cryptocurrency exchange directly discusses 'deleveraging' as a key market theme alongside 'gradual accumulation,' perfectly mirroring the behavior described in the statement. While some sources show high overall open interest in the market, this does not contradict the statement, as it refers to the specific actions of a large holder or group of holders, who can reduce their individual exposure even if the market-wide total remains high. The fact that multiple sources, including a primary data aggregator, reference monitoring derivatives data, open interest, and futures markets in the context of analyzing whale behavior further validates that this shift from leverage to spot is a recognized and plausible strategy for large holders.In summary, the evidence consistently points to a pattern of behavior where large holders are increasing their direct holdings of BTC and ETH while reducing their leveraged risk. The combination of a specific, large-scale event (the ETH transfer) and multiple reports confirming the general trend provides a solid foundation for the statement's truthfulness. There is no significant conflicting evidence.