Bitcoin miners are shifting strategies as the BTC price rebounds back above $114,000 after declining from all-time highs. Instead of sticking to familiar patterns, mining firms are adjusting how they manage their holdings and operations, signaling a change in the status quo as market conditions slowly recover. Bitcoin Miners Shift From Selling To Accumulating A new analysis from CryptoQuant suggests that Bitcoin miners are breaking away from historic patterns as BTC hovers above $114,000. The data reveals a significant structural shift in miner strategies, with long-term accumulation taking precedence over aggressive sell-offs, even during price surges. Related Reading: Bitcoin Jackpot: Solo Bitcoin Miner Nets $360,000 To Beat 1 In 800 Odds The Miners’ Position Index (MPI) has historically been a crucial market sentiment indicator. CryptoQuant revealed that sharp spikes in MPI often occurred during two critical periods—pre-halving, when miners sold operations of their holdings to secure liquidity, and late bull markets, when they took advantage of retail-driven price momentum. However, the trend is markedly different in the current cycle. While some pre-halving selling has been recorded, the signature late-cycle liquidations are noticeably absent. According to CryptoQuant, this deviation suggests that external factors such as Spot ETF approvals from sovereign economies’ recognition of Bitcoin as a strategic reserve could be encouraging miners to hold onto their BTC rather than liquidate it. The resilience of the Bitcoin network itself represents another critical aspect of this shift. Mining difficulty has soared to unprecedented levels, with its trajectory following what analysts have dubbed the “Banana Zone.” Such sporadic growth not only underscores miners’ confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term potential but also reduces the likelihood of a miner-driven supply shock hitting the market. Transaction fees provide further confirmation of the recent changes in miner strategies. CryptoQuant notes that in previous cycles, spiking fees were usually precursors to overheated market conditions and inevitable downturns. Despite significant fee increases, Bitcoin’s price action has remained steady this time, showing a stepwise rally rather than a blow-off top. The pattern strongly supports the theory that miners are strategically accumulating BTC instead of releasing supply during short-term demand surges. Mining Difficulty Rises Despite BTC Price Volatility Even as miners adopt a longer-term strategy, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty continues to top the charts, climbing past 136 trillion earlier this week and marking a new all-time high. While this milestone highlights the network’s unmatched resilience, it comes during increased volatility in Bitcoin’s price action. Related Reading: Shakeout Pattern Says Bitcoin Price Is Not Done, Why It’s Headed Above $130,000 Notably, crypto analyst Matthew Hyland pointed out that Bitcoin’s monthly Bollinger Bands have reached their most extreme level in history, signaling an unprecedented surge in volatility across the market. In addition, over the past month, Bitcoin has dropped 4%, retreating from its ATH level above $124,000 to its current level of $114,000, according to CoinMarketCap. Although its 2.73% increase to $114,000 in the last week signals growing momentum, market analysts remain cautious about what lies ahead. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin (BTC) has declined more than 10% from its latest all-time high (ATH) of $124,128, recorded on Binance in August 2025. However, fresh on-chain data suggests that the cryptocurrency may be preparing for its next bullish wave, as miners are starting to show a structural shift in behavior. Bitcoin Miners Shift Strategy – New High Ahead? According to a CryptoQuant Quicktake post by contributor Avocado_onchain, recent on-chain data hints at a structural shift in Bitcoin miner behavior. At the same time, various other metrics point toward increasing resilience in the Bitcoin network. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sentiment On Binance Turns Bullish – But Is The Market Setting A Trap? The analyst brought attention to the Miners’ Position Index (MPI), a metric that has historically shown sharp increases in two scenarios – before a halving when miners strategically sell their holdings, and in late stages of a bull market when they dump their holdings on retail investors. For the uninitiated, the MPI measures the ratio of Bitcoin miners’ outflows – coins sent to exchanges – relative to their one-year moving average. A high MPI indicates that miners are selling more BTC than usual – signaling increased selling pressure – while a low MPI suggests miners are holding or accumulating. However, the current market cycle shows a different trend. While some pre-halving selling was evident, the late bull market sell-offs have been noticeably absent. According to Avocado_onchain, there could be two major reasons for the lack of sell-off. First, the approval and success of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) may have had some influence on holders. According to data from SoSoValue, the total net assets tied in spot BTC ETFs currently stand at $144.3 billion – representing 6.5% of BTC’s total market cap. The other potential reason for lukewarm sales of BTC at this stage of the market could be the digital asset’s rapidly rising adoption as a strategic reserve asset by major economies around the world. As a result, miners may be shifting from short-term gains to long-term accumulation. In addition, Bitcoin mining difficulty also recently reached a new ATH, as its growth curve developed a so-called “banana zone” of sharp increases. The surge in mining difficulty reflects rising participation in the Bitcoin network, in addition to strengthening its security. Opinion On BTC Is Split While the miners appear to be holding BTC for the long haul, some analysts predict that the top cryptocurrency may not be out of the woods yet. Crypto analyst Daan Crypto remarked that BTC may be heading below $100,000. Related Reading: Bitcoin Holds $112,000 Support As Binance Whale Activity Cools Off – What’s Ahead? That said, other analysts are more optimistic about BTC’s prospects. In a recent analysis, fellow CryptoQuant contributor CoinCare stated that BTC may have another major leg up in the bull cycle. Meanwhile, Fundstrat’s Tom Lee forecasted that BTC may surge to $200,000 by the end of 2025. At press time, BTC trades at $114,139, up 1.5% in the past 24 hours. Featured image from Unsplash, charts from CryptoQuant and TradingView.com