Bitfinex Whales Build Record Long Positions on Bitcoin

Bitcoin failed to flip $90,000 to support at the start of the last week of 2025. Despite this technical setback, large investors known as whales on the Bitfinex exchange have been accumulating long positions at an unprecedented rate. These whale long positions have built to their highest levels in nearly two years, representing a significant shift in market positioning.

The divergence between Bitcoin's price action and whale behavior suggests that sophisticated traders are looking beyond current resistance levels. While retail investors may be reacting to the failure to hold $90,000, institutional-level traders appear to be positioning for substantial gains in 2026. This accumulation pattern on Bitfinex provides insight into how the largest market participants are allocating capital during the final days of 2025.

Bitcoin entered the final week of 2025 with an attempt to establish $90,000 as a new support level. However, the leading cryptocurrency failed to flip this psychological threshold to support, suggesting resistance remains strong at this price level. This failure indicates that sellers were active around the $90,000 mark, preventing bulls from establishing control at this level.

The inability to hold $90,000 as support represents a key technical development for Bitcoin traders. When an asset fails to convert resistance into support, it often signals that the path of least resistance remains downward in the short term. However, this price action is occurring against a backdrop of unusual whale activity that may contradict the bearish technical signal.

While Bitcoin struggled with the $90,000 level, Bitfinex whales were actively building their long exposure. Data shows that whale long positions have reached their highest levels in nearly two years. This represents a substantial increase in bullish positioning from the largest traders on the platform.

The timing of this accumulation is notable. Whales chose to add exposure during a period of price weakness rather than waiting for confirmation of a breakout. This behavior pattern often suggests that sophisticated investors believe the current price level represents value and are willing to build positions ahead of anticipated upward movement. The nearly two-year high in long positions indicates this is the most aggressive bullish positioning since early 2024.

The concentration of whale long positions on Bitfinex provides important context for market observers. Bitfinex is known for hosting some of the largest and most experienced cryptocurrency traders, making its order flow a valuable indicator of institutional sentiment. The buildup of long positions for the 2026 timeframe suggests these traders are positioning for what they believe will be a significant market move.

This whale behavior creates an interesting dynamic in the market. While Bitcoin's price faces resistance at $90,000, the underlying positioning data reveals strong conviction among major holders. This divergence between price action and positioning often resolves in favor of the larger players who have access to more sophisticated analysis and greater capital resources. The market will be watching to see if this whale accumulation proves prescient in the coming months.

The current market situation presents several important observations for cryptocurrency investors and analysts. The failure to establish $90,000 as support represents a clear technical signal that should not be ignored. However, the simultaneous record buildup of whale long positions on Bitfinex provides a countervailing fundamental indicator.

Market participants should consider both signals when making decisions. The whale positioning suggests that major investors see current price levels as attractive entry points for 2026 positions. This accumulation pattern has historically preceded significant price movements, though past performance does not guarantee future results. The concentration of these positions on a single exchange also highlights the importance of monitoring exchange-specific flows as part of comprehensive market analysis.