Bitcoin short-term holders return to profit as BTC nears $97K, ending weeks of losses amid rising ETF inflows and whale activity.
Bitcoin’s recent price rise has pushed short-term holders into profit after weeks of selling at a loss.
This change comes as the market gains fresh liquidity, allowing traders who entered the market within the last few months to exit with gains.
Analysts are watching this shift closely as it could signal a possible local top if profit-taking increases.
Short-Term Holders Move From Losses to Gains
According to CryptoQuant, the Short-Term Holder Profit and Loss to Exchanges metric has moved above zero.
This means that holders who bought Bitcoin less than 155 days ago are now selling at a profit.
These traders had been realizing losses during the last few weeks, but the latest price movement has turned that trend around.
Bitcoin Short-Term Holders Moved From Taking Losses to Locking in Profits
“Late buyers finally got liquidity and are selling into it. Big STH profit spikes tend to show up near local trend exhaustion, not at the start of a clean leg higher.” – By @IT_Tech_PL pic.twitter.com/6ZmBh3d1DB
— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) January 16, 2026
Bitcoin short-term holders are typically more reactive to price swings. They often buy and sell quickly to capture short-term changes.
The break above the neutral level shows they are no longer exiting positions at a loss, and some are locking in profits as prices rise.
CoinMarketCap data shows that Bitcoin has gained 6% in the past four days and 5.6% over the last week.
Since the start of the year, it is up around 10%. This price rise has created better selling conditions for short-term investors who had previously been under water.
Increased Liquidity Fuels Profit-Taking
The recent gains have brought more liquidity to the market, making it easier for traders to exit positions.
Bitcoin’s price reached a high of over $97,000 this week before settling near $95,000 at press time. This move has allowed holders to cash out without heavy slippage.
On January 15, spot Bitcoin ETFs saw inflows of over $100 million, according to data from Sosovalue.
This marks four consecutive days of positive flows. Since January 12, the total inflows have reached $1.8 billion.
This followed a previous period of outflows that removed $1.3 billion from ETF products.
CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju wrote on X that retail traders are stepping back, but large players are becoming more active.
He said the average size of both spot and futures orders shows that whales are likely behind the latest buying pressure.
Related Reading: Bitcoin ETF Inflows Reach October High as Institutional Demand Returns
Analysts Monitor Profit-Taking for Signs of Local Top
With short-term holders selling into profit, analysts are watching closely to see if a local top is near.
When short-term profits are high, some traders may take gains, which can slow price momentum or cause temporary pullbacks.
Bitcoin and Ethereum have led the early 2026 rally. Ethereum has moved near $3,400, a level last seen at the end of 2025.
Some analysts believe this rally could continue, but profit-taking behavior from short-term holders often adds volatility.
Market watchers will be looking at whether the current wave of selling pressure grows.
If more short-term holders exit now that they are in the green, it could add selling pressure around the $95,000–$97,000 range.