Bitcoin News: BTC Whales Post $337M Daily Losses in Q1 2026

Key Insights:

• According to the latest Bitcoin news, Bitcoin whale wallets realized $337M in daily losses in Q1 2026, the worst since 2022.
• Large holders have already locked in $30.9 billion in total losses this year, signaling strong capitulation.
• Historical trends show similar loss levels in 2022 were followed by major price drops (20%–50%), raising downside risk.

Recent Bitcoin news indicates that the biggest holders are taking heavy losses, and the scale is starting to look a lot like the pain seen in the 2022 bear market.

New onchain data shows that whales and sharks have already locked in about $30.9 billion in Bitcoin losses this year. That figure reflects coins sold below their original purchase price. In simple terms, these investors bought higher and sold lower, turning paper losses into real ones.

The trend matters because these are not small retail traders. They are some of the market’s largest players. Their behavior often gives a clearer picture of sentiment at the top end of the market.

Bitcoin News: High-net Bitcoin Traders Bleed $337M Daily

In the first quarter, wallets holding 1,00 to 10,000 BTC sold at a loss at a striking pace, as per recent news. Sharks (addresses holding 100-1,000) realized average daily losses of about $188.5 million.

Whales (holding 1,000 – 10,000) followed closely, with average daily losses of roughly $147.5 million. Put together, that is a massive wave of forced or defensive selling from large holders.

What makes this more serious is the historical comparison. According to the data, the realized losses recorded by these high-value investors in the first quarter rank among the worst ever seen. Only the second quarter of 2022 was more severe, when average daily realized losses climbed to around $396 million.

Bitcoin news indicates experts claim this was crypto’s most trying period. The leading cryptocurrency shed half its value by the second quarter of 2022, before sliding by an additional 20% by the close of that year.

Rising Macro Risks Drive Bearish Bitcoin Outlook

The situation had not even gotten worse until the Terra collapse, the fall of Three Arrows Capital, and Cecius’s choice to freeze withdrawals. These market shakedowns largely affected investors, drained trust, and caused widespread market fear.

Notably, the current cycle is facing different challenges compared to 2022. For instance, there are no major crypto failures; just geopolitical tensions. For example, the U.S.-Iran war has fueled inflation concerns and caused a risk-off market sentiment.

At the same time, concerns around quantum security have added another layer of uncertainty. Stress across the AI-driven risk trade has also weighed on sentiment.

As a result, some large holders appear to be exiting before conditions get worse and BTC price falls even lower. That suggests they may expect another leg down in Bitcoin price as macro pressure builds. It also strengthens the case for a longer and more painful correction, with some traders now bracing for a cycle low later in 2026.

Long-term Bitcoin Investors are Adding to Selling Pressure

There is another warning sign, according to Onchain Bitcoin news insights. Glassnode’s long-term holder realized loss chart shows that investors who held Bitcoin for more than 6 months are still selling at significant losses. That number has remained elevated at around $200 million per day on a 30-day average since November 2025.

Glassnode analysts said the market still needs a sharper cooldown in realized losses before selling pressure can be considered exhausted. They argued that a drop to below $25 million per day would offer a stronger sign that the market is finally stabilizing. In their view, that kind of reset usually comes before a durable bull market recovery begins.

Until that happens, downside risk remains firmly in play. That is why some analysts now see the $40,000 to $50,000 range as a possible bottom if the current correction deepens.