New reports have revealed that a billionaire Shiba Inu investor has transferred billions of SHIB tokens to a crypto exchange, setting the stage for possible market shifts. Typically, large exchange inflows of this size precede heightened market volatility as traders assess whether the move signals a distribution or a strategic repositioning. The outcome of this large-scale transfer could also influence Shiba Inu’s near-term price, which has been trending down for months.

Billionaire Shiba Inu Whale Moves 469 Billion SHIB

Blockchain analyst EmberCN was the first to report the large-scale movement on X this Thursday, highlighting that a top whale had transferred a significant amount of SHIB tokens to a centralized exchange. Fresh on-chain data from Arkham Intelligence shows that more than 48 hours ago, the anonymous whale had moved 469 billion SHIB, worth approximately $3.64 million, to OKX.

The transfer was reportedly split into two transactions: one for 468.982 billion SHIB and the other for just 5 million tokens. Following this, Arkham Intelligence revealed that the whale had executed another substantial transfer of 464.308 billion SHIB and 550,066 SHIB to OKX the next day. At the time, the value of these coins was about $3.48 million and $4.12 million, respectively. 

In his post, EmberCN referenced a 2023 disclosure revisiting an initial 2020 transaction by the same whale, which resulted in massive unrealized gains at the top. The blockchain analyst revealed that the whale had initially acquired 1.03 trillion SHIB in 2020 using just 37.8 ETH valued at around $13,700 at the time. This purchase represented roughly 17.4% of the total SHIB supply, making it one of the most profitable Shiba Inu trades ever recorded. 

At the peak of the 2021 bull market, the whale’s 1.03 trillion SHIB was valued at roughly $9.1 billion. Despite the explosive price rally, the investor largely maintained the position and avoided selling most of the holdings in the years that followed. Even after the SHIB price crash earlier this year, there were no official reports of whales moving funds to take profits. 

Current data indicates that despite its most recent 469 billion SHIB transfer, the whale still controls up to 96.22 trillion SHIB, accounting for about 16.4% of the total supply. At present market prices, these holdings are valued at roughly $707.3 million, underscoring the sheer magnitude of this whale’s holdings. EmberCN notes that the anonymous whale’s address history is fully visible on Arkham Intelligence, offering detailed insights into past transactions. 

Is The Whale Selling Or Repositioning?

Currently, it’s unclear whether the anonymous 469 billion- and 464.3 billion SHIB transfers were sold or simply repositioned. In most cases, transfers from a private wallet to exchanges are viewed as early signs of potential selling activity, especially when the volume is large. For transactions of this size, liquidating the tokens could influence Shiba Inu’s price dynamics.

The meme coin is already trading at $0.0000073, down 13.04% over the past week. So far, the market has yet to show a clear reaction to the whale’s transfer. Nevertheless, a potential market sell-off could have drastic effects on SHIB’s already weak market.