Key Insights:
- Satoshi-era investors sold large amounts of Bitcoin in 2025, including a $9B sale in July.
- Bitcoin peaked at $126K before pulling back by 30% in late 2025.
- Spot ETFs and corporate treasuries absorbed Bitcoin supply, stabilizing the market.
- Institutional ownership of Bitcoin could drive further price increases in 2026.
The year 2025 has seen a major shift in Bitcoin ownership, referred to as the “Great Redistribution.” Long-term holders, including early Bitcoin adopters from the Satoshi era, have sold significant portions of their holdings. This movement comes as Bitcoin continues to soar, reaching new price highs.
Large-Scale Sales by Satoshi-Era Investors
One of the most significant events this year was the sale of around 80,000 BTC by a Satoshi-era investor. This transaction, conducted via Galaxy Digital in July 2025, was worth over $9 billion. The investor had held these coins for 14 years, turning a small investment into billions.
💰 2025 HAS BEEN THE YEAR OF "THE GREAT REDISTRIBUTION."
🐳 Long-term HODLers, including Satoshi-era whales who have held since 2010-2011, unleashed massive sales this year, as $BTC soared past new highs.
The blockbuster: A mysterious Satoshi-era investor offloaded ~80,000… pic.twitter.com/HDhqfOUgln
— CryptosRus (@CryptosR_Us) December 27, 2025
These large-scale sales were not isolated. They began when Bitcoin crossed the $100K mark in late 2024 and continued in 2025. Another major wave of selling occurred in July, and again in November. Despite the large amounts of Bitcoin sold, the market has not seen a total crash.
Bitcoin Price Reacts to Major Sell-Offs
After Bitcoin reached a peak of approximately $126,000 in early October 2025, it pulled back by over 30%, falling to around $87,500 by December 27, 2025. However, Bitcoin’s price has not collapsed entirely.
As analyst J.A. Maartunn noted, “Old-guard Bitcoin is flowing to new institutional hands in waves.” CEO Ki Young Ju added that the traditional four-year cycles for Bitcoin may not apply anymore, thanks to new liquidity sources such as ETFs and treasuries.
Institutional Demand Counterbalances Selling Pressure
The entry of institutional buyers has been crucial in absorbing the large Bitcoin sales from long-term holders. Spot ETFs and corporate treasuries have taken on much of the sold Bitcoin, helping to maintain demand. This shift to institutional ownership could be one of the reasons the market has not collapsed despite the massive sell-offs.
Experts suggest this redistribution of Bitcoin from individual holders to institutional investors could help fuel Bitcoin’s growth in 2026, with the potential for new price highs driven by the influx of institutional capital.
