Cardano Selling Pressure Increases, Whales Start Selling ADA

Selling pressure Cardano has increased after several whale groups reduced their ADA holdings as the price moved near an important support area. The latest data shows that holders of 1 million–100 million ADA have collectively sold around 200 million tokens since August 11, 2026. 

This situation has emerged alongside weakening price momentum and derivatives sentiment that remains predominantly bearish.

Key Takeaways

• Whales holding 1 million–100 million ADA have reduced their holdings by around 200 million tokens since August 11.
• ADA is trading around US$0.17 and continues to face a weak short-term price structure.
• The Dijkstra upgrade roadmap is a fundamental catalyst, but it has not yet been able to eliminate short-term market pressure.

Cardano Selling Pressure Rises as Whales Reduce ADA Holdings

Cardano whale selling activity has become one of the indicators drawing market attention. Holders of 1 million–10 million ADA and 10 million–100 million ADA have reportedly reduced their holdings by around 200 million tokens since August 11.

Interestingly, the wallet group holding 100,000–1 million ADA added around 10 million ADA during the same period. This means the distribution has not been uniform. Larger whales are reducing their exposure, while smaller holders are absorbing part of that supply.

This pattern can add to short-term pressure because the number of tokens sold by larger holders is far greater than the amount accumulated by smaller groups.

Read also: Not Bitcoin or XRP, These Altcoins Are Actually Breaking Out

Whales Sell ADA, Pressuring Cardano Price Toward US$0.17

ADA traded around US$0.174 on August 17–18 after previously rising above US$0.21 on August 7. The decline left the price around 17% below its August high.

The four-hour chart structure also shows that ADA has broken out of the ascending channel that had supported its recovery since late July. The price then formed a series of lower high and lower low, indicating that sellers still have control in the short term.

The four-hour RSI is around 35, approaching the oversold threshold of 30. This indicates that momentum remains weak, although selling pressure could begin to ease if ADA moves deeper into oversold conditions.

ADA Derivatives Sentiment Remains Bearish

The pressure is not only visible in whale activity. Derivatives data also shows that traders remain cautious.

ADA’s long-to-short ratio was around 0.92 on Monday. A ratio below 1 indicates that short positions are more dominant than long positions. The open-interest-weighted funding rate also turned negative at around -0.0018%.

These two indicators suggest that many market participants are still positioning for a potential decline.

However, overcrowded short positions can also create high volatility if the price suddenly rises. The liquidation map shows a sizable concentration of leveraged positions around US$0.183–US$0.187.

Read also: How to Buy ADA: A Complete Guide for Beginners in Indonesia (2026)

ADA Support Becomes the Next Key Area

The US$0.170–US$0.173 area is an important level for ADA’s current price. One analysis places Fibonacci support near US$0.173, while another identifies key support around US$0.1706.

If ADA decisively loses this area, selling pressure could continue. The level around US$0.166 becomes the next liquidity area, while a deeper bearish scenario could shift attention to US$0.150 and the June swing low around US$0.1385.

To reverse the pressure, ADA needs to move back above US$0.18. The next resistance area is around US$0.184–US$0.196, which coincides with several moving averages and liquidation zones.

Can the Dijkstra Upgrade Offset Cardano Selling Pressure?

Cardano still has a fundamental catalyst through the Dijkstra Era roadmap. The upgrade is planned in two stages, with the first stage targeting code completion in Q4 2026.

The first stage includes Ouroboros Linear Leios, which is designed to improve transaction processing capacity without compromising the security of the underlying protocol. The update also includes nested transactions, PlutusV4, and improvements to the ledger structure.

The second stage is planned to introduce Ouroboros Peras, with code completion targeted for Q2 2027. This schedule remains a development target rather than a confirmed mainnet activation date.

This roadmap is positive for the network’s fundamentals, but the market has not yet shown that the catalyst is sufficient to reverse the short-term price trend.

Read also: Cardano (ADA) Coin: How It Works and What It Does, Something Few People Know

What Should ADA Holders Monitor?

Cardano holders and traders should not view whale activity as a standalone sell signal. Several indicators should be monitored together:

• whether whales continue reducing their holdings;
• ADA’s ability to hold the US$0.170–US$0.173 area;
• changes in the funding rate and long-to-short ratio;
• volume as ADA attempts to reclaim US$0.18;
• progress in the implementation of Dijkstra;
• conditions in Bitcoin and the broader altcoin market.

If you want to follow the ADA price, Cardano and Bitcoin movements, and the latest crypto news, you can register on Bittime and check market updates regularly. Use the latest data as part of your analysis before making a decision.

Conclusion

Cardano selling pressure is increasing as large whales reduce their ADA holdings, while technical momentum and derivatives sentiment remain weak. The distribution of around 200 million ADA since August 11 is a factor worth monitoring, especially with the price near the US$0.17 support level.

The Dijkstra roadmap provides a fundamental catalyst for Cardano, but it has not yet been enough to change the short-term bearish structure. Traders need to see whether support holds and whether ADA can reclaim the US$0.184–US$0.196 area before concluding that the trend has reversed.

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FAQ

Why Is Cardano Selling Pressure Increasing?

Several large whales have reduced their holdings by around 200 million ADA since August 11. This has occurred alongside weakening price momentum and derivatives indicators.

Are Whales Selling ADA?

Supply distribution data shows that holders of 1 million–100 million ADA are reducing their holdings. In contrast, the 100,000–1 million ADA group has accumulated around 10 million tokens.

What Is the Key Support Level for ADA?

The US$0.170–US$0.173 area is the nearest support. If this level fails to hold, US$0.166 and lower areas could come back into focus.

What Is Cardano’s Current Resistance?

ADA needs to move back above US$0.18 and faces resistance around US$0.184–US$0.196. A breakout above this area could reduce short-term bearish pressure.

Is the Dijkstra Upgrade Bullish for ADA?

Dijkstra is a fundamental catalyst because it brings improvements to Cardano’s scalability and protocol. However, a technology roadmap does not guarantee that ADA’s price will rise immediately, as the price remains influenced by demand, liquidity, and market conditions.