A significant event in the crypto market unfolded last Saturday as Arbitrum, a Layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum, released a substantial number of its tokens. Around 1.1 billion ARB tokens, which is about 42% of its circulating supply, became available, which prompted a flurry of activity among large-scale investors, commonly known as ‘whales’. These whales immediately transferred a hefty sum of ARB tokens, approximately 34 million, equating to $58 million, to various cryptocurrency exchanges.
Crypto Whales Respond to Token Availability
Following the token release, Lookonchain, a blockchain analytics firm, observed the movement of these whales, noting the significant sums being moved to exchanges. This pattern suggests a potential preparation for trading or liquidation. In addition to the whale movements, the Arbitrum team and advisors received 673.5 million ARB tokens, valued at $1.37 billion, while investors received 438.25 million ARB worth roughly $894 million.
Market Impact and Arbitrum’s Current Standing
Despite the considerable token release, the price of ARB has experienced a decline. As of the latest reports, ARB stands at $1.64 per token, experiencing a slight drop of 0.8% within a day and a more considerable 18% decrease over the past week. This downtrend has also been reflected in the token’s performance since the beginning of the year, with an overall dip of about 10%. Nevertheless, Arbitrum holds the fifth position in terms of total value locked in DeFi, boasting a TVL of approximately $3.276 billion.
The introduction of such a high number of tokens has also had a noticeable impact on ARB’s market capitalization and trading volume. The token’s market cap has seen a substantial increase, hitting $4.3 billion, which is a 105% surge, while the trading volume over the past 24 hours has climbed by 67%, reaching beyond $1.3 billion.
This activity illustrates the dynamic response of investors to token releases and highlights the important role of whale transactions in shaping market trends. As the ARB tokens enter circulation, the market will continue to adapt to new liquidity and adjust accordingly.