Solana rally threatened by whale moves

Reading time: 5 minutes

News | Crypto Converter | Crypto Calculators

Macro tailwinds fuel $882M in weekly crypto inflows

Key points:

• Digital asset products attracted $882 million in inflows last week, led by Bitcoin’s $867 million dominance.

• Sui outperformed other altcoins with $11.7 million in inflows, as Solana saw net outflows.

News - Institutional appetite for digital assets remained strong last week, with crypto investment products pulling in $882 million in net inflows globally, according to CoinShares. This marks the fourth consecutive week of gains, bringing total year-to-date inflows to $6.7 billion — nearly surpassing February’s $7.3 billion peak.

Bitcoin accounted for the lion’s share with $867 million in inflows, reinforcing its growing appeal as a macro hedge. Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. now hold $62.9 billion in cumulative net inflows since launching in January.

On the altcoin front, Sui (SUI) led the pack with $11.7 million in inflows, overtaking Solana’s year-to-date total ($84M vs. $76M). Solana recorded $3.4 million in outflows last week. Ethereum, despite its recent price rebound, lagged behind with just $1.5 million in inflows.

Macro trends offer compass for investors - CoinShares’ James Butterfill cited the global rise in M2 money supply, stagflation risks in the U.S., and Bitcoin’s growing recognition as a strategic reserve asset in states like Arizona and New Hampshire as key drivers behind the surge.

The broader economic landscape also contributed to inflows, with institutional giants like BlackRock leading the ETF inflow race. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust alone attracted $1 billion in weekly inflows, outpacing all competitors.

BTC briefly hits $105K on trade optimism - Bitcoin’s inflows are supported not just by macro metrics, but also by real-time catalysts. BTC briefly surged past $105,000 following a tariff-relief deal between the U.S. and China, signaling fresh institutional confidence. Despite a mild pullback, derivatives data and call option demand suggest continued optimism.

What’s next? - With crypto AUM nearing its January record of $173.3 billion and Bitcoin holding above $100K amid macro tailwinds, the momentum may continue unless disrupted by geopolitical or economic shocks. For now, Bitcoin’s positioning as a TradFi hedge is becoming more institutionalized — and increasingly hard to ignore.

Solana whales stir sell-off fears amid $200 bull run hopes

Key points:

• Large-scale SOL transfers and unstaking activity spark concerns of a potential sell-off despite network strength.

• Analysts and options traders remain bullish, targeting $200+ by end-June on strong fundamentals and institutional demand.

News - Solana’s (SOL) price surge to $180 has ignited both excitement and concern in the crypto market. Whale activity — including a 103K SOL unstaking and a 132K transfer to Kraken — has triggered speculation about short-term profit-taking pressure. A separate 187K SOL unstaking from an FTX-linked wallet further heightened sell-off fears.

Despite these cautionary moves, Solana’s on-chain fundamentals remain robust. It led all chains in Q1 2025 with over $200 million in revenue and dominated decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume with $81.8 billion processed in the past month, according to DeFiLlama. However, a nearly 40% transaction failure rate on non-vote transactions (Dune Analytics) suggests infrastructure challenges may still persist.

Options traders bet big on $200 - The bullish case for SOL is backed by block traders piling into Deribit’s $200 call options expiring June 27. Over 50,000 contracts were purchased, signaling institutional expectations that Solana could breach the $200 mark in coming weeks. Amberdata’s Greg Magadini highlighted this as a key bullish signal, noting the timing came at an unusually low implied volatility (84%).

Meanwhile, 21Shares’ latest State of Crypto report spotlighted Solana’s breakout year, praising its scalability, AI integrations, and institutional traction via Visa, Shopify, and PayPal. The report positioned Solana as the "infrastructure layer of the next-gen internet."

What’s next? - SOL must hold its $160 support amid whale pressure to sustain upward momentum. If market optimism and institutional buying persist — especially from Pump.fun and AI-linked apps — a breakout above $200 is plausible. However, watch for increased volatility as market makers hedge against the growing negative gamma exposure tied to those $200 calls.

Strategy buys $1.34B in BTC as holdings hit 568K+

Key points:

• Strategy acquired 13,390 BTC for $1.34 billion between May 5–11, taking its total holdings to 568,840 BTC.

• The firm achieved a 15.5% Bitcoin yield and raised its 2025 target to 25% after breaching $100K BTC.

News - Bitcoin bull Michael Saylor’s Strategy has scooped up another 13,390 BTC for $1.34 billion, according to a May 12 SEC filing. Acquired at an average price of $99,856, this latest buy pushes the company’s total BTC stash to 568,840—over 2.7% of the total supply. The average purchase cost now stands at $69,287 per coin.

The capital was raised through the sale of 3.2 million MSTR shares and 273,987 STRK preferred shares. This move follows the company's recently upsized capital program, aiming to raise $84 billion through equity and debt for future Bitcoin buys.

BTC yield target surpassed - Following the acquisition, Strategy met its previous 15% Bitcoin yield target for 2025. Saylor announced the firm is now aiming for 25% this year—after hitting 74% in 2024. The BTC yield metric reflects the ratio change between Bitcoin holdings and diluted shares.

Critics remain skeptical - Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff criticized the move, suggesting Strategy’s average cost could soon rise above $70K, leaving the firm vulnerable if BTC drops. He warned of potential “huge real losses” if the market turns.

Market positioning and valuation - Despite critics, Strategy’s market cap remains strong, trading at roughly 2x its BTC net asset value. Analysts at Bernstein and Benchmark maintained bullish ratings, with targets of $600–$650 for MSTR stock. With low debt and no payments due until 2028, the firm remains well-positioned to continue its aggressive BTC accumulation.

Metaplanet surpasses El Salvador with $126M Bitcoin buy

Key points:

• Metaplanet acquired 1,241 BTC for $126M, bringing its total holdings to 6,796—overtaking El Salvador’s stash.

• The firm’s BTC Yield reached 38% in Q2 and 170% YTD, while shares surged 3.8% after the announcement.

News - Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has officially overtaken El Salvador as one of the largest Bitcoin holders in the world. The Tokyo-listed firm disclosed on May 13 that it had purchased 1,241 BTC for 18.4 billion yen (~$126 million), marking its most aggressive buy since it launched Bitcoin Treasury Operations in April 2024.

The acquisition, made at an average price of $102,119 per coin, brings Metaplanet’s total BTC holdings to 6,796—valued at over $706 million. This exceeds El Salvador’s national reserves of 6,174 BTC, highlighting the firm’s meteoric rise from corporate entity to state-level Bitcoin competitor.

BTC yield & market reaction - With this purchase, Metaplanet’s BTC Yield—a proprietary metric tracking per-share Bitcoin accumulation—reached 38% for Q2 and a staggering 170% YTD. The firm’s strategy has continued to reward shareholders, with its stock (3350.T) jumping 3.8% on Monday and reportedly increasing 15x since its BTC pivot.

Metaplanet’s stock rally has drawn analyst comparisons to U.S.-based Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy). While Strategy holds 568,840 BTC, some analysts argue Metaplanet’s smaller size and early-stage accumulation offer greater upside. At a BTC price of $150K, one projection suggests Metaplanet stock could 4.5x, compared to Strategy’s 3x.

What’s next? - With its sights now set on a 10,000 BTC target by the end of 2025, Metaplanet is doubling down on its high-conviction treasury approach. As BTC hovers near $104K, the firm is positioning itself as a leaner, faster-moving proxy for Bitcoin exposure in Asia—one that could soon rival the largest corporate players globally.

More stories from the crypto ecosystem

• SEC crypto task force to meet, with a spotlight on tokenization – Details

• As Ethereum nears $2.8K, profit-taking causes concern: What’s ahead for ETH?

• Dogecoin’s breakout sparks altseason frenzy – Should traders buy in?

• MOVE’s price chaos: Analyzing if it is a bargain or a bear trap

• Solana bulls eye breakout as SOL targets $180 and beyond

Did you know?

• Bhutan launches world's first national crypto tourism payment system: On May 7, 2025, Bhutan introduced a crypto-based national tourism payment system in collaboration with Binance Pay and DK Bank. Travelers can now use crypto for everything from visa payments to accommodations.

• The Bahamas was the first country to launch a CBDC: Back in October 2020, The Bahamas launched the Sand Dollar, becoming the first nation to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC) nationwide. As of 2025, it's integrated with multiple local wallets and retail outlets, setting a precedent for dozens of countries exploring similar models. 

• Over 37 million crypto tokens exist as of May 2025: The number of cryptocurrency tokens has exploded to more than 37 million, up from under 3,000 in 2018. This rise reflects massive tokenization across DeFi, gaming, memecoins, and real-world asset platforms.

Breakfast that’s actually F-A-S-T

No more sad granola bars or sprinting out the door with just coffee.

Huel Black Edition is a ready-in-seconds shake packed with: 40g protein, 6g+ fiber, 0 prep. Just shake, sip, go.

Get 15% off your first order + a free t-shirt and shaker with code HUELSPRING, for orders over $75.

Try Huel today

Top 3 coins of the day

Moo Deng (MOODENG)

Key points:

• MOODENG jumped nearly 20% in the past 24 hours, trading at $0.26 amid explosive volume growth.

• The Awesome Oscillator flipped strongly bullish, while the 9-day SMA pointed upward in support of the ongoing rally.

What you should know:

MOODENG continued its meteoric rise on the charts, extending its breakout with a 19.79% intraday surge as it traded around $0.26. This rally followed consecutive green candles, marking a parabolic run since May 5. Volume soared along with price action, affirming strong trader interest. The memecoin gained traction after Binance featured it on its Alpha listing radar and as Solana memecoins collectively reached a $12.6 billion market cap. The 9-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) flipped decisively into support territory, aligning with the ongoing bullish trend. Simultaneously, the Awesome Oscillator printed tall green bars above the zero line, reflecting growing positive momentum. While MOODENG may face some profit-taking near the $0.30 zone, continued inflows and Solana ecosystem hype may keep bullish sentiment alive. Traders should watch the $0.20–$0.21 area as a short-term support range if any correction unfolds.

Pepe (PEPE)

Key points:

• PEPE surged 5% to trade at $0.00001480, continuing its weekly rally of nearly 70%.

• The RSI hovered above 80, confirming overbought conditions, while Parabolic SAR dots remained below the candles, reinforcing bullish control.

What you should know:

PEPE extended its breakout phase with a 5% intraday gain, hitting $0.00001480 after a strong week of upward price action. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) pushed above 80, signaling extremely overbought conditions—a possible precursor to short-term consolidation or pullback. However, the Parabolic SAR dots trailed beneath the price candles throughout the rally, affirming that bullish momentum remained intact on the daily chart. Volume remained robust, echoing the surge in open interest. As per Coinglass data, open interest in PEPE futures reached an all-time high of $595.36 million today, reinforcing confidence among leveraged traders. The token also broke out of key technical patterns, including a falling wedge and a double-bottom formation, now targeting Fibonacci resistances at $0.00001584 and $0.000021. As part of a broader memecoin resurgence, PEPE benefitted from whale accumulation and market-wide enthusiasm, with the memecoin sector’s market cap exceeding $75 billion. Traders should closely monitor the $0.00001584 resistance for signs of exhaustion, while $0.00001300 serves as the next support zone to watch if momentum falters.

Lido DAO (LDO)

Key points:

• LDO climbed 1.28% in the last 24 hours, hovering around $1.11 after a strong recovery from recent lows.

• Bollinger Bands expanded while the DMI showed bullish strength, reflecting increasing momentum and investor confidence.

What you should know:

LDO extended its recovery phase as it gained over 1% in a relatively calm session, trading near the $1.11 mark. The price continued to build on recent upside momentum, following a sharp bounce from the lower Bollinger Band. This expansion in the bands signaled increasing volatility, while trading volume remained consistent, suggesting stable interest among buyers. A notable technical driver was the Directional Movement Index (DMI), where the +DI line stayed well above the -DI, and the ADX line rose above 25 — confirming the strength of the ongoing uptrend. This bullish confirmation aligned with market optimism, especially after Lido DAO confirmed no user funds were lost during a recent Oracle key compromise. The protocol's quick and transparent response to the breach — which resulted in only a minor 1.46 ETH loss — reassured the community and reinforced its reputation for robust security practices. While a slight pullback may occur near the $1.15–$1.18 resistance zone, bulls are likely to defend the $1.00 psychological level as short-term support.