Cardano Whales Keep Buying, but ADA Price Still Lacks Bullish Momentum: What’s Next?

Cardano (ADA) price continues to face heavy selling pressure, with the token trading around $0.16 after extending its broader downtrend over the past several months. Despite the weak price action, one group of investors appears to be moving in the opposite direction. Large ADA holders have quietly increased their positions, even as the token struggles to regain bullish momentum.

The divergence has created one of the more intriguing setups in the market. While the chart continues to point towards a bearish structure, on-chain data suggests whales are accumulating at their fastest pace since early 2023. So, are large investors positioning for a long-term recovery, or is Cardano’s weak technical outlook likely to outweigh the growing optimism on-chain?

Cardano Whales Are Buying, But Retail Is Selling

While Cardano’s price continues to trend lower, on-chain data suggests large investors are taking advantage of the weakness. As per data from Santiment, wallets holding 100,000 to 100 million ADA have increased their collective holdings by 1.8% over the past four months, pushing their balances to the highest level since February 2023.

At the same time, smaller holders appear to be moving in the opposite direction. Wallets holding fewer than 100 ADA have reduced their collective supply by 0.7% during the same period, indicating that retail participants have continued to exit while larger investors steadily accumulate. This divergence often attracts traders’ attention because it reflects a shift in market behaviour. 

Can Whale Accumulation Revive the ADA Price Rally?

Despite growing whale accumulation, Cardano’s weekly chart continues to reflect a market stuck between two significant liquidity zones. At the time of writing, ADA is trading around $0.159, sitting just above a major demand order block between $0.143 and $0.160. This zone has repeatedly attracted buyers in the past, explaining why the recent decline has started to slow despite the broader bearish trend.

However, the chart also shows that every recovery attempt has been capped by a series of supply order blocks overhead.

The current setup, therefore, represents a battle between accumulation and distribution. Whales appear willing to absorb supply near historical demand, yet every rally continues to run into aggressive selling from higher-order blocks. Until ADA produces a weekly close above $0.187, followed by a move towards $0.26, the price is likely to remain range-bound between these opposing liquidity zones rather than entering a sustained uptrend. Besides, the RSI has been hovering near the lower threshold for a long time, which indicates the absence of strong buying pressure. 

Key Levels to Monitor

• $1.10 – Major weekly supply zone
• $0.26 – Key resistance/supply zone
• $0.187 – Immediate resistance
• $0.143–$0.160 – Major demand/support zone
• $0.08 – Next major demand zone if support breaks

Will Whale Accumulation Trigger a Strong ADA Rebound?

Whale accumulation is undoubtedly strengthening Cardano’s long-term outlook, but it is not enough on its own to trigger a sustained price rally. The weekly chart continues to show a bearish market structure, with the ADA price trapped between a major demand zone at $0.143–$0.160 and overhead supply at $0.187. As long as the price remains below this resistance, whale buying is more likely to support accumulation than an immediate breakout. 

A decisive move above $0.187 could pave the way for a rally towards $0.26, while reclaiming the long-term supply zone around $1.10 would confirm a broader trend reversal. However, if ADA loses the $0.143 support, the bullish on-chain narrative could take much longer to play out, exposing the token to a deeper correction towards $0.08 before any meaningful recovery begins.