Key Points
- ETH whale bought $112M in one go after rate cut
- Solana institutions pulled $28M from Binance
- XRP whale moved $50M to Coinbase amid reshuffle
- Retail XRP holders hit record 6.99M in September
The Whale Moves After Fed Cut triggered a wave of big-money activity across the crypto market. As the U.S.
Federal Reserve slashed interest rates by 25 basis points, some of the biggest Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and XRP holders began shifting assets fast, unlocking over $250 million in on-chain flows within hours.
These massive whale transactions reflect how deeply macroeconomic decisions, especially those from the Fed, now influence digital asset behavior.
From ETH accumulation to SOL withdrawals and XRP rebalancing, the Whale Moves After Fed Cut hint at what institutions may be expecting next.
Let’s break down the story behind the numbers.
ETH Whales Accumulate Over $180M After Fed Decision
Ethereum whales acted swiftly. Within hours of the rate cut, two significant ETH-related whale transactions caught the market’s attention.
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The first, from wallet 0xd8d0, involved the purchase of 25,000 ETH for a total of $112.34 million, paid entirely in USDC.
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Shortly after, a second wallet, 0x96F4, withdrew 15,200 ETH (around $70.44 million) from Binance.
After the Fed cut rates by 25bps, OTC whale 0xd8d0 spent 112.34M $USDC to buy 25,000 $ETH at $4,493.https://t.co/7eUZQPGfRO pic.twitter.com/Vf55M9te9e
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) September 18, 2025
This aggressive move shows strong confidence in ETH’s medium-term potential. It also marks one of the largest Whale Moves After Fed Cut announcements ever tracked in real-time.
So why the rush?
The answer lies in liquidity. Lower rates reduce the attractiveness of traditional savings, driving capital toward higher-yielding or riskier assets like crypto.
Ethereum, with its staking rewards and upcoming upgrades, appears to be a prime candidate for this inflow.
Whale 0x96F4 withdrew 15,200 $ETH($70.44M) from #Binance in the past 2 hours.https://t.co/ya7pvQcnuH pic.twitter.com/W1v6z8FaLp
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) September 18, 2025
The Whale Moves After Fed Cut highlight how strategic players are betting on a resurgence in digital asset valuations. These aren’t just casual investors—they’re wallets moving tens of millions in a matter of minutes.
This pattern echoes similar strategic moves we’ve seen in Bitcoin being adopted in mortgages, another example of how traditional finance is increasingly intersecting with crypto.
Solana and XRP Whales Position for Institutional Demand
Solana and XRP didn’t sit idle either. Their responses were just as telling and equally driven by macro and regulatory tailwinds.
- Solana: Institutions Move $28M Off Exchanges
Institutional trading firm FalconX withdrew 118,190 SOL (worth $28.39 million) from Binance right after the rate cut. These types of Whale Moves After Fed Cut often signal long-term holding strategies rather than short-term speculation.
The timing aligns with the SEC’s updated listing standards, which now make SOL eligible for ETF inclusion. This puts it in the same conversation as other trending altcoins getting ETF approval such as AVAX and Cardano.
There are now 6 strategic $SOL reserve entities that each hold over 1M $SOL.
Among them, Forward Industries holds a massive 6,822,000 $SOL($1.58B), with an average purchase cost of $232. pic.twitter.com/YXs6AZmfdR
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) September 16, 2025
With Solana futures volume reaching $22.3 billion, and major players like Forward Industries holding millions in SOL, the chain is rapidly gaining institutional credibility.
And it’s not just Solana, AVAX is also in line for ETF exposure, showing that institutions are expanding beyond just Bitcoin and Ethereum.
🔹 XRP: $50M Whale Shift Reveals Supply Redistribution
An XRP whale moved 16.4 million XRP (valued at over $50 million) to Coinbase following the Fed cut. While it could be seen as profit-taking, many believe this is part of positioning ahead of CME futures and options trading, set to launch in October.
This is another example of Whale Moves After Fed Cut, strategic and institutional-grade decisions being made swiftly after a macro signal.
What’s more, XRP’s retail base has hit a record high of 6.99 million holders, according to Santiment. Meanwhile, wallet distribution is changing.
The largest XRP holders (1B+ XRP) are shrinking, while wallets with 1M to 1B XRP are growing. This reflects a decentralization trend, likely boosting XRP’s appeal to regulators and ETFs.
XRP Holders Surge to ATH. Source: Santiment – Techtoken
And with XRP now among the top holdings in Grayscale’s Digital Large Cap Fund (GDLC), recently cleared under the SEC’s new standards—the token is enjoying an institutional tailwind.
XRP’s growing visibility is helping it become part of the elite Crypto MAG7 group, top digital assets that institutions are starting to treat like blue chips.
XRP Holder Distribution. Source: Santiment – Techtoken
Whale Moves After Fed Cut Signal Broader Crypto Realignment
From Ethereum to Solana and XRP, the Whale Moves After Fed Cut suggest a much bigger trend is in motion.
These aren’t just random market jitters—they’re calculated reallocations. Institutions and crypto whales are rebalancing their portfolios to prepare for what could be an era of more accommodative monetary policy.
Grayscale’s GDLC Holdings. Source: Grayscale Investments – Techtoken
Over $258 million in crypto moved within hours of the rate cut. That’s not a fluke. It’s a signal.
With ETH whales accumulating, SOL institutions doubling down, and XRP whales reshuffling positions while retail participation grows, we’re witnessing a realignment of capital in the crypto space.
Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund $GDLC was just approved for trading along with the Generic Listing Standards. The Grayscale team is working expeditiously to bring the *FIRST* multi #crypto asset ETP to market with Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano#BTC #ETH $XRP $SOL…
— Peter Mintzberg (@PeterMintzberg) September 17, 2025
These Whale Moves After Fed Cut are setting the tone for Q4 2025, and possibly even the 2026 bull cycle. It’s no longer just about price action; it’s about positioning for the next wave of growth, adoption, and regulation.