The year-end typically involves position closures and reduced liquidity, but several altcoins show the opposite trend: investors continue accumulating assets across various timeframes. The focus is on three tokens with notable holder balance changes: Chainlink, Lido DAO, and Aster. This article briefly examines what is happening with each asset and what conclusions a private miner in Russia can draw.
Investment Trends in Altcoins Ahead of 2026
The market presents a mixed picture: while some major holders partially reduce exposure, certain assets clearly see accumulation. This diversification of participant actions suggests that some "smart money" is preparing for longer-term holding rather than quick profit-taking. Tracking significant wallet balance changes and volume indicators helps understand overall sentiment.
For a broader view of potential altseason triggers, check out our review of key indicators and forecasts: altseason 2026, which compiles signals often preceding market upswings. This data helps align current accumulation with wider market conditions.
Chainlink (LINK): Accumulation Amid Correction
Over the past 30 days, significant LINK wallet balances increased by 57.79%, with investors acquiring approximately 680,000 tokens valued at $8.5 million at current rates. Meanwhile, Chainlink’s price corrected about 7.5% during this period, indicating accumulation is happening during a price dip rather than a rise.
Technical indicators show easing selling pressure: the article referenced the Bull Bear Power (BBP) indicator data, highlighting a reduction in "red" histogram bars. This combination—holding growth amid short-term correction—is often interpreted as strategic positioning by investors focused on a longer horizon.
For a deeper look at Chainlink’s price outlook, our archive includes LINK forecasts: Chainlink forecast, discussing target levels and possible development scenarios.
Lido DAO (LDO): Rising Interest and Purchases
For Lido, large holders increased their balances by 30.34% over the last week, bringing total holdings of this group to 17.49 million LDO. Market participants acquired about 4.07 million tokens during the week, with investments around $2.28 million, indicating significant capital inflow in a short timeframe.
This interest growth coincided with a local price increase, and among public figures, Arthur Hayes notably increased his position by 1.85 million LDO (~$1.03 million). Technically, the On-Balance Volume (OBV) indicator broke its downtrend—strengthening the significance of capital inflow—but confirming signals on the chart are needed for continued growth.
Aster (ASTER): Short-Term Investor Interest
Aster showed activity in a short-term window: in the last 24 hours, major participants increased positions by 2.37%, raising total holdings to about 19.23 million ASTER. Purchase volume was estimated at 455,000 coins, which at roughly $0.71 per coin amounts to just over $320,000 invested.
At the same time, ASTER’s price dropped more than 30% over the month, with the Wyckoff volume indicator signaling waning seller pressure. This pattern looks like an attempt at partial accumulation during a decline, but with high volatility, support levels and risk of further drops remain critical.
Conclusions and Outlook for 2026
Overall, the three assets show a mixed picture: notable accumulation in LINK and LDO amid partial correction, alongside short-term interest in ASTER following a significant monthly drop. This indicates some capital is seeking returns in altcoins, but actions vary by horizon and intensity.
Understanding possible scenarios benefits from comparing balance data with exchange volumes and indicator signals; such data helps distinguish temporary spikes from structural shifts in market sentiment. Additional materials on key altcoin growth factors are available in our overview: key conditions for growth.
Why This Matters
If you mine and hold or plan to hold altcoins, fund inflows into specific tokens signal capital redistribution in the industry but don’t necessarily impact miner income directly. For miners, critical factors are operational costs, coin withdrawal availability, and liquidity of trading pairs when exchanging mined crypto for fiat or more stable assets.
Meanwhile, increased holdings by large participants may enhance medium-term price stability, while short-term purchase spikes can temporarily reduce volatility. If you invest part of your mining income, consider the balance and volume changes described here when planning token conversion or retention.
What to Do?
If you operate between 1 and 1000 devices, follow three simple rules: first, assess operational expenses and cash reserves; then decide on holding mined altcoins based on current balances and volumes. Don’t alter mining configurations due to short-term price fluctuations, but monitor liquidity and withdrawal fees closely.
- Regularly check for sharp liquidity drops in pairs used for coin exchanges.
- Split income: convert part to cash for expenses, hold part in promising assets without sudden position size changes.
- Track large holder balance changes and volume indicators—they provide context for sell/hold decisions.
These simple steps help minimize operational risks and maintain flexibility amid potential market changes ahead of 2026.