Whales just tipped their hand: as Bitcoin chopped under the round-number wall, deep-pocketed players quietly rebuilt long exposure below $110,000—including a reported 6× position sized around 134 BTC. With liquidation clusters stacked at $111K and $106K, the next few tags could be violent. Is this controlled accumulation before expansion, or another range trap designed to flush late longs?

What’s Happening Now

Price is range-bound near $109,000 as on-chain flows show big wallets adding risk. One address moved roughly $10M in stablecoins and opened a 6× long—about $14M in directional exposure—while an “insider” whale reportedly trimmed shorts, easing immediate sell pressure. Derivatives tilt is slightly long, and funding is mostly flat to mildly positive—confidence is building, but not euphoric.

Why It Matters to Traders

Whales can absorb offers, firm up bids, and stretch consolidations as they scale entries. Their activity below $110K hints at a deliberate base-building phase. Meanwhile, dense liquidation bands at $111K and $106K act like magnets; when price taps them, forced orders can cascade and create fast, tradeable spikes.

Key Levels and Triggers

- Structure: Weekly still prints lower highs, but daily holds above the 200‑day MA. - Near-term magnet: potential relief bounce toward $117K (prior breakdown zone). - Breakout confirmation: sustained acceptance above $140K (psychological + prior distribution) shifts regime to trend expansion. - Invalidation: clean break and acceptance below $106K opens lower-liquidity pockets.

Actionable Game Plan

• Trade the magnets: Expect wicks into $111K/$106K clusters; fade the first tap with tight stops, flip if momentum and volume accelerate through.
• Use acceptance rules: Above $117K, watch for higher lows and funding staying balanced; scale entries only on acceptance, not on first touch.
• Define risk: Keep invalidation clear—below $106K reduces the breakout odds; don’t average down into thin liquidity.
• Monitor crowding: If funding spikes or OI surges into resistance, be ready for a squeeze the other way.
• Track whale signals: On-chain stablecoin inflows + large long adds below $110K are constructive; reversals (longs closing, renewed short builds) are caution flags.

Order Book and Liquidity Reads

Depth around $110K can slow runs; thin books accelerate. Combine order-book thickness with the heatmap: when a cluster thins after a sweep, reassess bias—often the next move targets the opposite band.

Bottom Line

The market is coiling between $106K–$111K with a tactical path to $117K. The higher-timeframe shift arrives only on a decisive close and hold above $140K. Until then, respect the range, trade the clusters, and let acceptance—not hope—be your trigger.

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