Bitcoin Whales and Coinbase Premium Push BTC Toward $64K, Says CryptoQuant

Bitcoin’s latest bounce toward the mid-$60,000s has drawn fresh attention from on-chain analysts, with new commentary pointing to US whale activity as an early driver of demand-side momentum. Separately, Bitcoin Suisse is highlighting signs that market conditions may be shifting—despite persistent caution in US spot Bitcoin ETF flows.

According to a Friday blog post from CryptoQuant contributor Burak Kesmeci, the “Coinbase Premium” is showing evidence of strengthening buy-side behavior, even while the broader reading for the index remains below neutral levels.

Key takeaways

• CryptoQuant says the Coinbase Premium is rebounding from local lows and reclaiming its 14-day SMA, helping explain the move from around $58,000 to $64,000.
• The index is still negative (reported around -0.08), meaning the signal is supportive for a short-term bounce rather than a confirmed long-term regime change.
• Bitcoin Suisse points to ETF flow data and wider conditions as part of a “bottom signal framework,” noting a change after eight weeks of ETF outflows.
• Farside Investors data shows US spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a third straight day of outflows totaling $95.3 million on Thursday, underscoring that sentiment remains reactive.

Coinbase Premium: early strength, still below zero

CryptoQuant’s analysis connects Bitcoin’s July recovery to activity from US-based whales. In the post, Kesmeci focuses on the Coinbase Premium—calculated as the price difference between Coinbase’s and Binance’s BTC/USDT markets—as a proxy for relative demand on US exchange venues.

While the index has been negative for much of 2026, Kesmeci argues that the most recent behavior matters: both BTC and ETH “bounced off” their respective local lows and managed to reclaim their 14-day simple moving averages. In his framing, that technical reclaim is consistent with the timing of the rally—Bitcoin moving from about $58,000 to roughly $64,000, and Ethereum rising from around $1,500 to about $1,750.

“On top of that, both metrics managed to reclaim their SMA14. This is what’s behind Bitcoin’s move from 58K to 64K, and Ethereum’s rally from $1,500 to $1,750.”

Kesmeci notes that the metric has been used in prior reporting to indicate whether demand is materially stronger on US exchange liquidity. Cointelegraph previously described the index’s prolonged negative stretch as a sign of weaker demand from both larger and smaller investors using the US market structure.

CryptoQuant data cited in the post places the current Coinbase Premium at approximately -0.08. Kesmeci also highlights that it has not been back to positive territory on daily timeframes for more than two months, which is important context for interpreting what the signal can and cannot claim.

In other words, the analysis suggests the market may be seeing an early reversal in pressure, but not the kind of decisive shift that typically comes with sustained break above neutral. Kesmeci characterizes the current setup as a near-term catalyst while emphasizing that a true long-term regime change would require the metric to break above zero.

Why whales matter in this framework

The “whale leads trend” idea in CryptoQuant’s interpretation is tied to how quickly large holders can influence relative pricing across major venues. When US-based whale buying increases, Coinbase-linked pricing can rise relative to Binance-linked pricing—pushing the Coinbase Premium upward.

Kesmeci argues that regime shifts across short-, medium-, and long-term horizons can be read through the metric, because it reflects demand imbalances rather than only overall price direction. However, the current state—negative but improving—implies that any rebound may initially be driven more by localized demand dynamics than broad, fully re-anchored market participation.

For traders and investors, the practical takeaway is to watch whether the index continues climbing and whether it can transition from “reclaiming trend levels” to “sustained positivity.” The difference between those states often determines whether a bounce stays a technical correction or grows into a broader trend change.

Bitcoin Suisse: ETF signals suggest something shifted

Beyond on-chain venue dynamics, institutional flows are also part of the debate. Cointelegraph previously reported that US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) had ended a long selling streak with net inflows, bringing attention back to institutional demand.

Even so, sensitivity remains clear in the data. According to figures compiled by Farside Investors, Thursday marked a third consecutive day of net outflows totaling $95.3 million. That matters because it suggests that while the market may have started to stabilize after prolonged pressure, flows are still capable of reversing on relatively small price moves.

Bitcoin Suisse incorporated ETF flow information into a broader set of indicators in a Friday social media thread. The firm pointed to a sequence that includes eight weeks of ETF outflows and Bitcoin trading at a 21-month low, then argued that “this week” a shift has appeared.

Bitcoin Suisse described the situation as a “bottom signal framework flashing.” It also referenced the Crypto Fear & Greed Index remaining in an extreme zone at the time of writing, portraying the broader sentiment backdrop as still consistent with fear—an environment where reversals can become more likely when demand begins to return.

What to watch next: confirmation or relapse

Taken together, the analyses are aligned on one core idea: signs of improved demand are emerging, but confirmation is not yet complete. CryptoQuant’s Coinbase Premium trend suggests buyers are regaining near-term influence, but the index remains negative and would need to move above zero for a cleaner long-term regime call. Meanwhile, Bitcoin Suisse’s “bottom framework” relies partly on ETF flow improvements—yet Farside Investors’ data shows outflows can still resume quickly.

For readers, the next signals to track are straightforward: whether the Coinbase Premium continues to rise and holds above its short-term trend levels, and whether US spot Bitcoin ETF flows can sustain net inflows beyond the early rebound window rather than reverting to the outflow pattern seen over prior weeks.