According to the most recent weekly report from Glassnode, a mere 16.3% of short-term holders (STH) of Bitcoin are currently in a profitable state. This “percent supply in profit” metric scans the on-chain history of each Bitcoin to gauge its last transferred price. If the last selling price is below the current market price, then the coin is considered to be in profit.
Significantly, this indicator serves as a barometer for investor sentiment and market health. It works in conjunction with its counterpart, the “supply in loss,” which accounts for the remaining percentage to total 100%. Currently, an overwhelming 83.7% of the STH supply is holding at a loss, painting a bleak picture for these investors.
The STH cohort consists of investors who have acquired their coins within the last 155 days. Recently, this group has seen a steep decline in their per cent supply in profit. Before the recent downturn, Bitcoin was in a period of consolidation. Consequently, many of these STHs had bought and traded Bitcoin at those levels, establishing their cost basis.
However, the recent drop in Bitcoin’s price has led to a dramatic decrease in the supply of profit, leaving a majority of these STHs underwater. Their financial woes come in stark contrast to the fortunes of long-term holders (LTHs), whose supply profitability has increased despite the market downturn.
The explanation for this discrepancy is simple: LTHs are investors who bought at least 155 days ago. As a result, there’s a 155-day lag between when an investor purchases their coins and when they’re classified as a long-term holder. Coins purchased five months ago have recently matured into this cohort, and since these coins were bought at lower prices, they are currently in profit.
Moreover, Bitcoin has seen a 4% increase in the past 24 hours, pushing its price over the $26,100 mark. While this is a positive sign, it remains to be seen if it will significantly affect the fortunes of short-term holders who have been hit hard by recent volatility.
By closely watching these supply-in-profit and supply-in-loss metrics, investors can gain insights into the changing landscape of Bitcoin holders and strategize accordingly.
