While traders obsess over short-term price moves, one of the most meaningful shifts in Bitcoin’s landscape has been happening behind the scenes — coins are steadily disappearing from exchanges.
Blockchain analytics show a pronounced change in investor behavior over the last twelve months. The volume of BTC sitting on centralized platforms — where it is typically ready to be sold — has fallen sharply.
Key Takeaways
Bitcoin reserves on exchanges continue to shrink, suggesting strong holder conviction.
Price volatility remains but the market structure still hints at higher-low formation.
Analysts see repo market stress as a potential precursor to major upside.
Historic RSI signals are resurfacing, often followed by long-term rallies.
That share once sat above 8% of circulating supply; today it hovers closer to 6%.
The steep decline through late spring and early summer suggested investors were moving coins into self-custody — a pattern associated with conviction rather than liquidation.
Volatility Persists, But Price Floor Holds
Even with coins leaving exchanges, Bitcoin hasn’t been immune to chop. The asset has spent recent days fluctuating around the $90,000 area, roughly 30% lower than its October peak above $126,000.
What makes the pullback intriguing is that the structure still resembles a trend of higher lows. Traders are watching to see whether $92,500 can be reclaimed, which could revive momentum, or whether a slide below $88,000 risks probing deeper demand zones.
Reduced exchange supply may soften the severity of sell-offs, but analysts warn that derivatives positioning and macro flows remain capable of driving sudden swings.
Macro Liquidity Enters the Conversation
Some analysts think the crypto charts are missing the bigger picture: global liquidity stress.
Market commentator Goos pointed to accelerating activity in U.S. repo markets — behavior that also emerged before Bitcoin’s 2021 surge. He argues that when traditional finance strains, risk assets like BTC often react violently once constraints resolve.
Meanwhile, technical watchers are treating recent weakness as something more constructive. Researcher Ash Crypto highlighted that Bitcoin’s weekly 36-RSI reading — a rare event — has only appeared a handful of times in the asset’s lifetime, and each case preceded major rallies.
That signal flashing again in 2025 has some traders positioning for continuation into 2026 rather than retreat.
A Market Waiting for Confirmation
With fewer coins left on exchanges, traditional liquidity pressures building, and RSI patterns hinting at cyclical strength, Bitcoin’s outlook appears paradoxical: momentum has cooled, yet underlying conditions look bullish.
For now, traders are caught between a tightening supply picture and a hesitant price chart — a setup that historically resolves with a decisive breakout once confidence returns.
