Bitcoin's Supply in Loss Hits Record High, But Long-Term Holders Keep Calm and Carry On

As Bitcoin dipped below $59,100 on Wednesday, the number of coins held at a loss surged to an all-time high of 10.83 million BTC, according to Glassnode data.

The largest cryptocurrency has repeatedly tested the $60,000 level since February, briefly falling below it several times. Four months ago, the supply in loss peaked at 9.8 million BTC, and it climbed to 10.78 million in early June.

Looking at previous bear market bottoms, around 10.5 million BTC in loss is broadly consistent with levels seen near cycle lows in 2019, 2020, and 2022.

Long-Term Holders Remain Unfazed

Breaking this down further, 5.58 million BTC are held at a loss by long-term holders (LTHs) — investors who have held their coins for at least 155 days. This is the second-highest level on record, behind only March 2020, when more than 5.6 million of the cohort's bitcoin were at a loss.

Even so, long-term holders now control approximately 14.8 million BTC, another all-time high. With roughly 20 million BTC in circulation, these investors hold close to 75% of the circulating supply, of which 37% are in the red.

Historically, long-term holders tend to accumulate and continue holding throughout bear markets, increasing their share of the supply. During periods of peak bull-market euphoria, they typically begin selling into market strength.