What Crypto Whales Are Buying as The Market Pumps

The crypto market pump gained momentum after the US inflation data came in with a steady number. December CPI rose 2.7% year over year, broadly in line with expectations and still cooling. That eased pressure around near-term rate cuts and lifted risk sentiment across markets. And some crypto whales took notice.

Still, the whale movements have been measured rather than euphoric. Instead of chasing the pump, large holders were seen adding exposure to three tokens, tracking key technical levels, signaling preparation rather than blind risk-taking.

Dogecoin (DOGE)

Dogecoin is starting to draw whale interest again as the market pushes higher. Over the past 24 hours, DOGE is up about 5.9%, extending its 30-day gains to roughly 7.6%. The move is modest, but it is happening at a technically important point.

On-chain data shows crypto whales holding 10 million to 100 million DOGE have increased their exposure during this move. Over the last day, this cohort raised its holdings from 17.60 billion DOGE to 17.76 billion DOGE, adding 160 million tokens, roughly $23.5 million in accumulation.

The chart helps explain why whales are stepping in now. On the daily timeframe, Dogecoin has just reclaimed both the 20-day and 50-day exponential moving averages (EMAs). EMAs give more weight to recent prices and are often used to identify early trend shifts.

This setup matters because the last time DOGE reclaimed the 20-day EMA first and then the 50-day EMA in the same sequence was in early July. That move was followed by a rally of roughly 73%, a period which also saw a bullish crossover — the 20-EMA crossing above the 50-EMA.

The 20-day EMA is now closing in on the 50-day EMA, setting up another potential bullish crossover.

From here, the first level whales are likely watching is $0.154, which sits just 4.6% above current prices. A clean break above that zone would bring the 100-day and 200-day EMAs into play as resistance. Clearing those levels would mark a meaningful trend shift rather than a short-lived bounce and might help DOGE reclaim $0.209 even.

On the downside, losing the 20-day and 50-day EMA lines would weaken the bullishness and might even expose the $0.115 level for DOGE.

Chainlink (LINK)

LINK sees sustained whale inflows for the second day in a row. While the holdings dipped a bit between January 12 and January 13, the crypto market pump has brought fresh interest. Chainlink (LINK) is up nearly 6% over the past 24 hours, with price now testing a technically important resistance zone after a controlled pullback.

On-chain data shows that crypto whales have quietly returned. Over the past day, whale holdings increased from 503.20 million LINK to 503.42 million LINK, meaning roughly 220,000 LINK was added. At the current price, that equals about $3.1 million in fresh accumulation. While the size is smaller than aggressive dip-buying phases, the timing is notable.

The chart explains why whales may be positioning here. Earlier this month, LINK corrected after a momentum warning appeared. Between December 9 and January 6, the price formed a lower high while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) formed a higher high. RSI measures momentum by comparing recent gains to recent losses. That mismatch signaled weakening momentum and helped drive the pullback.

That correction now looks constructive rather than bearish. Price action during the pullback formed the handle portion of a cup-and-handle structure, and LINK is now pressing against the neckline area.

For this setup to confirm, LINK needs a daily close above $14.10, followed by strength above $15.04. If that happens, the pattern projection points toward $17.62, roughly 25% higher than current levels. This potential upside likely explains why crypto whales are stepping back in despite recent gains.

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On the downside, a move below $12.97 would weaken the setup, while a break under $11.73 would invalidate it entirely.

Uniswap (UNI)

Uniswap is seeing cautious crypto whale accumulation as the price approaches a technically important level. UNI is up about 5.5% over the past 24 hours, but whale behavior suggests this is still a measured bet, not aggressive chasing.

Since January 13, whales have increased their UNI holdings from 549.37 million to 549.57 million tokens, adding 200,000 UNI. At current prices, that equals roughly $1.1 million in accumulation.

The chart explains the restraint. Uniswap is sitting just below its 20-day exponential moving average (EMA).

Historically, UNI’s 20-day EMA reclaims have mattered.

1. On November 8, reclaiming it led to a 76% rally.
2. On December 20, the reclaim produced a 24% move.
3. On January 3, a brief reclaim resulted in a 13% upside push.

Whales appear to be positioning early, but waiting for confirmation. A daily close above the 20-day EMA, followed by a push toward the 50-day EMA, would strengthen the bullish case. Above that, key resistance levels sit at $5.98, then $6.57, with $8.13 possible if market conditions stay supportive.

If the reclaim fails, downside risk remains. Losing $5.28 would weaken the setup and could expose $4.74 in the short term.