Staking Soars, Whales Exit—Is Ethereum Preparing for Liftoff?

• Institutional wallets hold 24.76M ETH, showing rising market confidence.
• Over 33.6M ETH staked, reflecting long-term investor commitment.

Ethereum is showing signs of strong institutional interest, with long-term holders increasing their exposure. According to data from CryptoQuant, Ethereum accumulation has entered what analysts describe as “flight mode,” with key metrics pointing to rising institutional interest. 

As of June 30, 2025, accumulation addresses hold 24.76 million ETH. This figure marks the highest on record and suggests growing confidence in Ethereum’s long-term potential.

Despite Ethereum’s market price hovering around $2,480 at the time of accumulation, buyers continued to enter the market. The realized price for these addresses stands at $2,113, indicating that many institutions have been acquiring ETH at higher levels. This behavior typically reflects an expectation of future price increases.

Simultaneously, staking has surged. June 2025 data shows that more than 33.6 million ETH are now locked in staking contracts. This alignment of accumulation and staking metrics suggests that Ethereum could be approaching a bullish breakout.

Early Whale Takes Profits While Holding Large Reserve

While institutions accumulate, one early Ethereum investor continues to take profits. Cointelegraph, citing Etherscan data, reported that an original ICO participant sold 501 ETH, including a 500 ETH transfer to Kraken. This sale is part of a broader pattern of profit-taking that began in April 2021.

Since then, the investor has sold 14,394 ETH, realizing around $50.11 million. The investor initially bought 16,800 ETH for roughly $5,000 during Ethereum’s Genesis launch. 

Later, they acquired an additional 804 ETH at $459. Despite the consistent offloading, the whale still holds ETH valued at approximately $5.85 million.

At press time, Ethereum is trading at $2,600.89, up 6.08% over the past 24 hours. The ongoing accumulation trend and rise in staking contrast with selective profit-taking by early investors, painting a picture of a maturing market.

While some are locking in gains, others, particularly institutions, appear to be entering Ethereum’s “flight mode” with growing conviction in its future trajectory.