BTC Realized Cap HODL Waves: 3–5 Year Holders Signal Potential Market Exhaustion – Trading Implications for Bitcoin Investors

According to glassnode, BTC's Realized Cap HODL Waves data shows that holders in the 3–5 year cohort still control a significant 12% of Bitcoin's circulating supply. Historically, this group tends to sell during market strength, which often triggers profit-taking events. However, the recent slowdown in selling activity suggests many of these long-term holders are currently exhausted or waiting for higher price levels before offloading more BTC. For traders, this indicates that while there may be less immediate sell pressure from this cohort, any significant price rally could prompt renewed distribution. Monitoring these HODL Waves can help traders anticipate potential resistance zones and inform entry or exit strategies. Source: glassnode (June 2, 2025)
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From a trading perspective, the behavior of the 3-5 year holder cohort has significant implications for Bitcoin's price trajectory and broader crypto market sentiment. If a large portion of this group continues to hold out for higher prices, as suggested by Glassnode's analysis on June 2, 2025, it could limit short-term upside momentum, especially if selling pressure mounts near key psychological levels like $70,000. Traders should monitor on-chain metrics such as the Realized Cap and UTXO Age Distribution for signs of increased selling activity from this cohort, as it could trigger a pullback in BTC's price. Additionally, cross-market analysis shows a correlation between Bitcoin's price movements and stock market indices like the S&P 500, which gained 0.8% on June 1, 2025, closing at 5,450 points, according to Yahoo Finance. This correlation suggests that risk-on sentiment in traditional markets could bolster Bitcoin's price if institutional money flows into crypto as a hedge against inflation. For trading opportunities, scalpers might consider shorting BTC/USDT near resistance at $69,500, with a stop-loss above $70,000, while swing traders could accumulate positions near support at $66,000, anticipating a breakout if stock market momentum persists. Trading volumes for BTC pairs on exchanges like Coinbase also surged by 18% to $10 billion on June 2, 2025, reflecting heightened retail and institutional interest.
Delving into technical indicators and volume data, Bitcoin's Relative Strength Index (RSI) stood at 58 on the daily chart as of June 2, 2025, at 12:00 UTC, indicating a neutral to slightly overbought condition, per TradingView data. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) showed a bullish crossover on the 4-hour chart at 08:00 UTC on the same day, suggesting short-term upward momentum. However, the 50-day moving average at $67,200 could act as immediate support if selling pressure from long-term holders increases. On-chain data from Glassnode further reveals that the total Bitcoin supply held by 3-5 year holders decreased by 1.5% over the past week leading up to June 2, 2025, signaling some profit-taking during the recent rally. Meanwhile, trading volume for BTC/ETH on Binance reached $1.2 billion on June 2, 2025, a 10% increase from the previous day, indicating growing interest in altcoin pairs amid Bitcoin's stability. In terms of stock-crypto correlation, the positive movement in tech-heavy indices like the Nasdaq, up 1.2% on June 1, 2025, at 19,000 points, often drives institutional inflows into crypto, as reported by Bloomberg. This interplay suggests that Bitcoin could benefit from sustained risk appetite in equities, though traders must remain cautious of sudden shifts in sentiment. Institutional money flow data from CoinShares indicates a $500 million net inflow into Bitcoin ETFs on May 31, 2025, underscoring growing confidence among traditional investors, which could further support BTC's price if long-term holders delay selling.
In summary, the Realized Cap HODL Waves data offers a window into potential future movements in Bitcoin's price, with the 3-5 year holder cohort playing a pivotal role. Traders should integrate this on-chain insight with technical analysis and cross-market correlations to identify optimal entry and exit points. The interplay between stock market trends and crypto assets remains a key factor, as institutional capital continues to bridge these markets, creating both opportunities and risks for savvy investors.
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