Profit-taking among bitcoin holders remains notably subdued, even as the price recently surged above a new all-time high of $126,000, according to onchain analytics firm CryptoQuant.
Profit-taking trends signal strong holding
CryptoQuant reports that total net realized profits over the last 30 days amount to 0.26 million BTC (about $30 billion), a figure that is just half of July’s 0.53 million BTC and well below the $78 to $99 billion peaks observed in March and December 2024.
This pattern of low realized profits points to holders largely opting not to cash out, which the firm interprets as a sign that “bitcoin may continue to rally, and that a top is still not on the horizon.”
Realized profits and market cycle indicators
On an annual timeframe, net realized profits are still trending upward—an indicator historically linked to rising price momentum.
Julio Moreno, CryptoQuant’s head of research, explained:
“As long as there’s positive momentum on realized profits (holders taking profit at higher levels), it indicates that prices may trend upward. In the past, bull markets have ended as holders sell into lower realized profits.”
Short-term holders have recently realized gains at just a 2% margin, far below the 8% historically associated with market tops, while long-term holders’ realized margins stand at 129%, still well below extreme cycle peaks.
Long-term holders remain inactive
Spending from so-called “OG” bitcoin addresses—wallets holding coins for over a decade—also remains low, with only 5,000 BTC moved in the last 30 days.
This is less than half of what was seen during earlier 2024 peaks and nearly 30% below May 2025 levels, reinforcing the lack of widespread profit-taking.
Analysts see further upside potential
Last week, CryptoQuant projected that bitcoin’s rally could push toward $160,000 to $200,000 if demand persists.
JPMorgan analysts have also highlighted that bitcoin remains undervalued relative to gold, citing ETF inflows and the so-called “debasement trade” as drivers for potential upside to $165,000.
For additional context on bitcoin’s realized profits and valuation metrics, see the bitcoin MVRV-z score chart, bitcoin price history chart, and net unrealized profit loss chart.
