Bitcoin investors with long-term positions are realizing profits at levels not seen in nearly a decade, according to blockchain analytics firm Glassnode.

Data from the firm shows that long-term holders have realized roughly 2.37 million BTC in profit during the ongoing 2024–2025 cycle. At current prices, that equates to about $260.7 billion.

This is the highest realized profit since the 2016–2017 bull run, when long-term investors booked gains of approximately 3.93 million BTC.

Glassnode noted that the sharp increase in realized gains illustrates growing sell-side pressure. The firm suggested that investors appear to capitalize on Bitcoin’s recent rally by reducing their exposure to the top crypto after months of sustained upward momentum.

Over the past year, Bitcoin has steadily climbed to new highs, peaking at $124,167 on Aug. 14, according to CryptoSlate’s data. The asset was trading at $110,761 at press time, down nearly 11% from that record.

This pullback suggests that profit-taking has become widespread, consistent with prior cycles, in which strong rallies were often followed by quieter, less aggressive phases of market activity.

Blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps released a report on Aug. 25 alleging that Hayden Davis coordinated a sniping operation on Kanye West’s YZY token that generated $12 million in profits through 14 connected wallets.

The investigation began with a timing analysis showing Davis, also known as Kelsier, received access to $57 million in previously frozen funds, with YZY launching the following day.

Davis has faced previous controversies related to the LIBRA token collapse, where he denied fraud and insider trading accusations.

A US judge unfroze $57.6 million in USDC stablecoins tied to the LIBRA token scandal on Aug. 20, giving Davis and former Meteora DEX CEO Ben Chow access to funds that were frozen in May as part of a class-action lawsuit.

Bubblemaps tracked several addresses funded from centralized exchanges the day before YZY’s launch, discovering a cluster prepared to snipe the token through funding transactions, Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol transfers, and shared deposits linking back to Davis.

The connected wallets purchased YZY tokens as early as 1:54 A.M. UTC, just one minute after the announcement. The firm noted this pattern reflects Davis’s previous involvement in sniping high-profile tokens, including MELANIA and LIBRA.

Bubblemaps said it could not confirm whether Davis had insider information or direct connections to the YZY team, but documented the coordinated purchasing pattern and profit extraction.

The investigation continues as blockchain forensics firms examine celebrity token launches for potential manipulation.

Controversial launch followed by price colapse

YZY’s controversial launch saw trading activity drive its market capitalization near $3 billion before collapsing within hours.

The token initially attracted rapid inflows, pushing its fully diluted valuation into multibillion-dollar territory before prices retreated more than 90%, leaving its capitalization closer to $137 million.

Independent analysis from Conor Grogan estimated that 94% of the initial supply was controlled by insiders, including a single multisig wallet that held 87% of tokens before dispersing.

The YZY pool featured a 1% base fee with dynamic adjustments reaching 2.68%, combined with wider bin steps introducing additional 4-5% slippage, creating estimated 10% round-trip costs for traders.

YZY is down 82% from its all-time high of $3.1633 and was trading at $0.5670 as of press time.

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Crypto markets are a bit like a rollercoaster operated by a teenager. Wild drops? Oh, they happen. And knowing how to short sell on crypto might be your answer when those dips come rolling in. 

This guide will walk you through the basics: how to short sell crypto, what to watch out for, and some classic examples to make it all sink in.

Short selling is a strategy to make some profits in the bearish crypto market.

Picture this: you’re absolutely certain that Bitcoin’s price is about to fall. That’s the spirit of short selling crypto — it’s betting against an asset, with hopes that the price will tank, so you can make a profit.

In traditional markets, short selling typically involves borrowing an asset, selling it at a high price, and then buying it back at a lower price to pocket the difference. But, as explained in this article on short selling in stocks and this one for Forex, there’s an easier way to short without actually owning the asset — using CFDs (Contracts for Difference). The same method applies to short selling crypto, where you can simply bet on the price drop without needing to handle the asset directly.

There’s nothing wrong with hodling (“Hold on for Dear Life” strategy popular among crypto traders), but short selling lets you play both sides of the market. 

While the classic strategy is to buy and hold, there’s a huge advantage in having a way to profit when the market takes a dip. 

• Hedge Against Losses: If you’re holding a bunch of Bitcoin but worried about a crash, you can use short selling to offset potential losses.
• Profit During Downturns: Everyone else is panicking and selling off their crypto — meanwhile, you’re profiting from the market’s woes.
• Fast-Moving Opportunities: Crypto markets move fast, and short selling lets you take advantage of quick downturns without having to cash out your long-term holdings.

Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of how to short sell crypto.

1. Pick a cryptocurrency that you think is going to decrease in price soon.

2. Analyze the chart with your favorite indicators for crypto.

3. Choose the amount you’d like to invest in this trade (in pips). Don’t forget to set the Stop-Loss!

4. Open a trade at the current price.

5. Close the deal if your prediction was correct, and the asset price went down.

And voila, you’re a short seller. Just don’t get too attached to the “betting against” mindset; it’s a tool, not a lifestyle.

1. Follow the hype

Crypto doesn’t follow regular market patterns; prices are often driven by hype, news, and FOMO (fear of missing out). A sudden Tweet or news item can turn the market on its head, so make sure to subscribe to some crypto news portals and follow the headlines in our Newsfeed.

2. Use the right indicators to spot bearish conditions

Use these indicators as your reliable GPS signals in a land of random crypto price swings. 

Moving Averages — Spotting Trend

The grandparent of all indicators, a Moving Average (MA) smooths out all the daily price wiggles, letting you see the bigger trend. 

• If your MA is trending upwards, the asset is likely in an uptrend. 
• If it’s pointing downwards, it’s time to short sell. 

This indicator helps you cut through the noise and spot the overall direction of a crypto’s price.

MACD — Trend Reversals

The MACD helps you spot shifts in momentum and trend changes. 

MACD uses two moving averages and a “signal line” to give you clear buy or sell signals. When these lines cross, it’s time to pay attention because it might be a good moment to make a move:

• A downtrend is expected when the fast (blue) line turns up and crosses below the slow (red) line.
• An uptrend is expected when the fast (blue) line turns up and crosses above the slow (red) line.

RSI — Reality Check

If you’re new to crypto trading, RSI is as simple as it gets, yet it tells you when a price is probably a bit out of line with reality. It’s all about helping you identify when the price might have stretched too far in one direction.

• An RSI score of 70 or above? The asset might be overbought, and the trend might reverse to bearish soon.
• Under 30? It might be oversold, returning the trend to the bullish phase.

The good thing about RSI is that it can give you both entry and exit signals, helping you cap your profits before the trend goes up again.

Let’s see how it works in action. 

In the example below, we opened a trade on Dogecoin-PerpFuture asset. 

Here’s a breakdown of the action:

1. Trend Check: Doge was climbing steadily — a strong uptrend was detected.
2. MACD Analysis: We saw a trend reversal signal from MACD as the blue line crossed the red from below, signaling a potential shift.
3. Entry: We set our test investment (2000 pips), configured risk management, and hit “Lower,” anticipating a bearish turn.
4. Exit: As the market began to flatten, we closed the trade with a profit.

Short selling is risky, and in the volatile world of crypto, that risk is amplified. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Leverage is a Double-Edged Sword: Many platforms offer leverage, which can multiply your gains, but it can also magnify losses. Crypto prices are volatile, and one wrong move with leverage could cost you.
2. Market Mania: Crypto doesn’t follow regular market patterns; prices are often driven by hype, influencers’ moves, etc. You need to develop a very specific crypto trader’s brain to feel comfortable trading digital assets.
3. Fees and Interest: Shorting crypto can come with interest rates or fees, especially if you’re using a CFD or margin trading. Make sure you know what those costs are before diving in.

Final thoughts

Short selling crypto can be a smart way to navigate the crazy ups and downs of this market. Just remember to treat it like any powerful tool — with caution. Start small, keep an eye on the trends, use relevant indicators, and always use stop-loss orders. 

The controversial AI-focused crypto project Qubic has suggested it may mine Dogecoin (DOGE), the largest memecoin, after completing its current operations on Monero (XMR), the privacy-focused blockchain network.

On Aug. 17, Qubic Network founder Sergey Ivancheglo shared a Discord screenshot showing that the community voted to target Dogecoin for the upcoming mining season.

This decision followed a proposal from Ivancheglo inviting the community to select which ASIC-enabled proof-of-work (PoW) blockchain the network should prioritize next.

The options included Dogecoin, Kaspa, Zcash, and other ASIC-mined coins. Dogecoin emerged as the clear winner, securing around 301 votes, more than all other options combined.

If Qubic begins mining DOGE, it could gain more notoriety than during its Monero operations. Last week, Qubic claimed control of most of Monero’s hashrate, which led Kraken to temporarily suspend XMR deposits amid reports of a 51% network attack.

Dogecoin mining

Dogecoin, launched in 2013 as a joke, has evolved into a major player in the crypto market.

The coin gained widespread attention after Elon Musk highlighted it several times on X (formerly Twitter), helping DOGE grow into a top-10 crypto asset with a market capitalization exceeding $33 billion.

However, mining DOGE would be far from straightforward. Competition in the space has intensified over the years, with major Bitcoin miners such as BIT Mining generating significant revenue from Dogecoin mining.

According to CoinWarz data, Dogecoin’s network hash rate currently stands at 2.93 PH/s, offering miners potential profits of roughly $21 per day per unit of mining power.

Due to this, Ivancheglo emphasized that preparations for mining DOGE will take months, with the Qubic pool continuing to mine Monero during this period.

Dogecoin mining profitability

While precise network-wide figures aren’t published, a back-of-the-envelope estimate suggests Dogecoin miners collectively earned in the ballpark of $0.84–$1.02 billion over the last 12 months.

Using Dogecoin’s issuance math (≈1,440 blocks/day × 10,000 DOGE) and an average price assumption of ~$0.16 implies roughly $2.304 million/day (≈$841 million/year).

Cross-checking with a revenue-per-hash snapshot of ~$1.08 per GH/s against an aggregate network hashrate near ~2.6 PH/s (≈2,600,000 GH/s) yields about $2.808 million/day (≈$1.025 billion/year).

These are gross figures (fees are small, electricity and opex excluded) and will vary with DOGE price and hashrate swings, but they frame the scale of potential revenue Qubic is eyeing.

Qubic’s goal

Ivancheglo explained that his AI project targets these PoW blockchains to redirect energy-intensive proof-of-work computations toward artificial intelligence applications.

According to him:

“A lot of electricity is burned for useless PoW, we need that electricity for AI. These words may be hard to get and I cannot reveal more now, in the future they will eventually click.”

Notably, Qubic has developed a “useful proof-of-work” system that turns crypto mining energy into productive computation. Instead of solving meaningless puzzles like traditional PoW, the network spreads tasks across miners to advance artificial intelligence research.

According to the project, this method directs energy toward real-world outcomes and helps train AI models, which supports its long-term goal of creating Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

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The chief investment officer of crypto asset management firm Bitwise, Matt Hougan, says traditional finance (TradFi) companies are on the hunt for higher returns in the cryptocurrency space.

In a new interview on The Wolf of All Streets, Hougan says that after making “tons of money” in Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), TradFi firms are now seeking alternative opportunities in the industry.

“They made all this money. All this money flowed into Bitcoin. The price went up a 140%. And what are they going to do?

They’re going to rotate into like Kellogg’s [stock]? No, they’re going to rotate into Circle and Ethereum and treasury companies. And now ETH treasury companies. And now Solana treasury companies…

It’s going to go all the way. It’s altseason in TradFi for sure.”

The Bitwise CIO says the trend of investing in crypto treasury companies is in an early phase. According to Hougan, the trend is only going to accelerate in the coming months.

“And I know that’s counter to the media narrative, which feels like we’re peak bubble, we’re, you know, March 2000 in the internet. But we’re not. We’re 1998. Like, people are still just getting excited.

The amount of flow that comes through my inbox is incredible. And if you’re bullish about crypto generically, why would you think this trend stops? If I think Bitcoin is going to $200,000, do I think this treasury trend increases or decreases? It’s almost like a self-reinforcing loop until it gets overblown. And I don’t think we’re there yet.”

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

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Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin USDT, has disclosed a portion of its investment portfolio, revealing an involvement in cryptocurrencies that extend beyond Bitcoin (BTC). The announcement comes as Tether reports record profits in 2024, which have been used to fund these strategic investments in more than 120 companies across multiple sectors. 

Tether Expands Investment Portfolio Beyond Bitcoin

Tether has unveiled a glimpse into its expansive investment portfolio, marking a significant pivot in its capital allocation strategy beyond just Bitcoin. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tether, Paolo Ardoino, confirmed in an X social media post that the stablecoin firm has invested in over 120 companies as part of its Tether Investment division. He added that this number is expected to grow in the coming months and years.

Related Reading

Notably, Ardoino disclosed that these investments are funded exclusively through the company’s record profits from 2024, which total $13.7 billion. He emphasized that none of the funds were obtained from reserves backing Tether’s stablecoin. 

Interestingly, Tether’s profits, generated from yield on its holdings of over $130 billion in US Treasuries, are now being directed into transformative industries through some of the most prominent companies. Its venture arm has expanded its focus past Bitcoin, now investing in areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), renewable energy, privacy infrastructure, tokenization, agriculture, and others.

When asked by Crypto Tale how this diverse portfolio supports USDT’s position amid an increasingly stringent global regulatory environment, Ardoino underscored its strategic importance. On the question of USDT’s future in Europe under the continent’s new MiCA regulations, the Tether CEO stated that the stablecoin company would only consider re-entry once the regulatory landscape offers stronger protections for both consumers and stablecoin issuers. 

Companies In Tether’s Venture Portfolio 

On its official website, Tether shared a partial list of some of the companies among the 120 it has invested in. These range from blockchain infrastructure platforms like Synonym and Holepunch, to AI-focused firms like Crystal Intelligence, and payment technology providers such as CityPay.io and Sorted Wallet. The presence of companies like Blackrock Neurotech and Adecoagro reflects a commitment to broader technological and environmental impact, reaching into neuroscience and agriculture, respectively.

Related Reading

Tether’s investment narrative is framed not solely in financial terms but as a deliberate push toward catalyzing decentralization and empowering individuals. The stablecoin firm declared its capital as a “catalyst for change,” invested in projects that reduce reliance on centralized systems and promote global equity. This mission-driven approach is visible across its portfolio, which also includes companies involved in data sovereignty like Northern Data, cross-border financial solutions such as Quantoz and OrionX, and privacy-first communication platforms. 

Mansa, a DeFi fintech venture, and Oobit, a global crypto payment platform, have also joined Tether’s investment portfolio, marking another step toward the company’s push toward real-world crypto adoption. Both firms expressed appreciation for the support, aligning with Tether’s broader vision to integrate stablecoins into everyday payment systems.

Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

Crypto analyst Jaydee has called out market participants who predict that the XRP price could rally to as high as $1,000. The analyst suggested that the altcoin can’t reach such heights and revealed what price levels he will be taking profits at. 

Analyst Indicates XRP Price Cannot Reach $1,000

In an X post, Jaydee stated that while the “moonboys and influencers: are waiting for the XRP price to reach $1,000, he plans to take more profits at his next levels. He declared that he plans to use the same strategy he employed when he called the 12x at $3.37. The analyst admitted that the altcoin is going much higher soon but suggested that those waiting for $1,000 will still get “rekt.”

Related Reading

Jaydee further remarked that they “dumb money to HODL till $1,000 for us smart money to win big.” His statement comes just a day after crypto pundit BarriC predicted that the XRP price will rally to $1,000 sooner than many expect. He further suggested that the rally will be similar to how XRP recorded an explosive surge in 2017, when it rallied from $0.0006 to $3.80.

However, Jaydee doesn’t expect this to happen. Instead, his accompanying chart showed that the XRP price could just rally to a conservative target of around $7 between August and September. This would still mark a new all-time high (ATH) for the altcoin. 

The crypto analyst also recently predicted a 50% “moonshot” for the XRP price, which could send it to as high as $3.35 in the short term. A rally to $3.35 will bring the altcoin close to its current ATH of $3.80. It would also mark a new yearly high for the altcoin. 

XRP Is Bullish On All Timeframes

In an X post, crypto analyst Dark Defender declared that the XRP price is bullish on all timeframes for the first time since January 2025, when it reached its yearly high of $3.3. In another X post, the analyst stated that XRP is way ahead, having recorded a breakout above $2.33. With this breakout, he remarked that the altcoin’s journey to its all-time high has begun. 

Related Reading: XRP Price Closes Highest Quarterly Candle In History

Dark Defender’s accompanying chart showed that the XRP price could surpass its current ATH of $3.80 and rally to $4.2. This price surge is expected to happen between now and September, providing a bullish outlook for the altcoin. Crypto analyst CasiTrades also highlighted how bullish the break above $2.30 was for XRP. She claimed that the altcoin could reach as high as $3.04 on this leg up. 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $2.42, up almost 4% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

The crypto analytics firm Glassnode says most Bitcoin (BTC) holders are now seeing substantial gains in their investments.

In a new report, Glassnode says that “a super-majority of Bitcoin investors” are currently holding unrealized profits following the flagship cryptocurrency’s recovery to $107,000.

Holders now have an average paper gain of 125%.

“After finding firm support at the Short-Term Holder cost basis of $98,300, a level that often delineates local bull and bear regimes, Bitcoin rebounded to $107,000. This move pushed the majority of investors back into profit, with total unrealized gains reaching a staggering $1.2 trillion.”

The dominant market behavior suggests that investors are unlikely to cash out their gains. The report says the current price level appears less attractive for profit-taking than when Bitcoin breached the three-digit mark.

“Despite this surge in profitability, investor behavior signals a strong preference for HODLing, as the current price range appears insufficient to trigger significant profit-taking. This is reflected in declining realized profits, a continued downtrend in Liveliness, and Long-Term Holder supply climbing to a new all-time high.”

Bitcoin’s market capitalization, which takes into account the digital asset’s circulating supply at the current market price, currently sits at $2.13 trillion. BTC’s realized cap, which values each coin at the last transacted price, is pegged at $958 billion.

The flagship crypto asset is trading for $108,834 at time of writing, up by 2.97% over the past 24 hours.

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

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