Bitfinex Whales’ Strategic Decisions Echo in Tether Reserves and Bitcoin Prices

Tether (USDT) reserve on Bitfinex has seen a significant increase owing to whales on the platform.

According to CryptoQuant’s analysis, the whales on Bitfinex have opted to close their leveraged positions, leading to a substantial surge in the USDT reserve on the platform. This strategic move has garnered attention, shedding light on intriguing aspects of market behavior.

Tether Reserves on Bitfinex

Amid recent fluctuations in crypto prices, significant traders are choosing to either close or decrease their positions. This trend is evident in CryptoQuant’s findings, indicating a 21% decline in Bitfinex’s Open Interest – a crucial metric reflecting the total value of open derivative contracts on the exchange. As a result, there has been a notable increase in the Tether reserve, surging from $5.3 million to an impressive $190 million.

Additionally, the Open Interest in Bitfinex demonstrates a strong link with the price of Bitcoin. Despite Bitfinex’s Open Interest not reaching the levels seen on major exchanges such as Binance, this “particularity” places the former in a special role within the digital asset, thereby providing meaningful perspectives on potential future changes in the value of Bitcoin.

While highlighting the close correlation between Bitfinex and Tether, which is yet another essential aspect to consider, the on-chain intelligence platform added,

“Bitfinex plays a significant role in the issuance of this popular stablecoin, which makes the recent movement in Tether reserves even more intriguing. This dynamic offers a valuable perspective for assessing the relationship between leveraged positions and the price action of Bitcoin.”

Meanwhile, the stablecoin giant, Tether, discreetly acquired more than $360 million worth of Bitcoin at the start of this year. This acquisition ramped up the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to 66,400 BTC, valued at $2.7 billion.

Navigating Scrutiny and Attacks

Over the years, USDT has positioned itself as a backbone in the DeFi ecosystem. This year, its dominance reached 71%, and its market cap surged to a record $95 billion. Despite this, concerns about its reserve persist.

However, Cantor Fitzgerald LP Chief Executive Officer Howard Lutnick stated that his firm has reviewed Tether Holdings Ltd.’s balance sheet as the custodian and confirmed it holds the reported assets, which amounted to about $86 billion at the end of June, backing approximately $83 billion of USDT stablecoin.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television at the backdrop of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Conference in Davos, Lutnick confirmed,

“I’ve seen a whole lot and the firm has seen a whole lot and they have the money. And so there has always been a lot of talk about ‘Do they have it or not?’ and I’m here with you guys and I’m telling you we’ve seen it and they have it.”

Earlier this month, a report from the United Nations (UN) accused USDT of illicit activities. The company behind the stablecoin expressed dissatisfaction with the evaluation, highlighting that the report unfairly concentrated on USDT’s purported involvement in unlawful actions while neglecting its beneficial contributions to developing economies in emerging markets.