<p><img src="https://static5.businessinsider.com/image/600da1d91958200011554a9b-2400/GettyImages-1294702314.jpg" border="0" alt="Visual representations of digital cryptocurrency Bitcoin (BTC) are arranged on a circuit board" data-mce-source="Yuriko Nakao/Getty Images"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>A<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bitcoin-whale.asp#:~:text=A%20bitcoin%20whale%20is%20a,to%20manipulate%20the%20currency%20valuations."> bitcoin whale</a> is a term that refers to individuals or entities that hold large amounts of bitcoin, according to Investopedia. There are around 1,000 individuals who own 40% of the market.</p><p>Whales have the potential to manipulate the currency valuations and, given bitcoin's <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-price-double-spend-flaw-critical-report-suggests-2021-1-1029990921">fluctuations</a> in recent weeks, they are increasingly under the spotlight.</p><p><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2021/01/22/weird-world-bitcoin-whales-2500-people-control-40pc-market/">The Telegraph reported on Friday</a> that, according to industry data, around 13% of all Bitcoin, or around $80 billion, sits in just over 100 individual accounts. It added that the top 40% of all bitcoin (approximately $240 billion) is held by just under 2,500 known accounts, out of roughly 100 million in total.</p><h2>How do whales impact bitcoin's price'</h2><p>The number of addresses holding more than 1,000 <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/price/bitcoin">bitcoin</a> is at 2,334, a new all-time high, according to CoinDesk.</p><p>Single trades made by such whales can lead to huge changes to the price of bitcoinswamping any movements by smaller investors, <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/13822372/bitcoin-whales-crash-market/">The Sun reported.</a></p><p>Bitcoin <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-hits-new-record-high-of-41000-2021-1-1029943150">reached a record high of $41,973</a> on January 8. However, on Friday <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-price-biggest-weekly-fall-janet-yellen-double-spend-2021-1-1029994838">Insider reported</a> that the cryptocurrency was on course for its biggest weekly price fall since September. It recovered to around $32,170 by Saturday morning, leaving it down about 10% since Monday. </p><p>Back in November, <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-whales-buy-high-sell-low-retail-investors-chase-rallies">CoinDesk studied data</a> from crypto exchange <a href="https://www.okex.com/academy/en/bitcoin-rally-2020-data-whales-retail-trading-research">OKEx</a> to provide a possible explanation of how whales were able to influence prices as the cryptocurrency soared. "During that bitcoin run-up, institutions and whales were able to buy dips and oftentimes sell when prices went up. That left the majority of the retail investors scrambling to chase the rally," the report said.</p><p>David Gerard, author of Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain and a known crypto-skeptic, was quoted in The <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2021/01/22/weird-world-bitcoin-whales-2500-people-control-40pc-market/">Telegraph report </a>as saying: "The big players can easily move the price" because the bitcoin trading market is very thin.... Any one of them could crash it."</p><p>There is not a lot of available volume to trade, he said, adding that there were all kind of "trading shenanigans," which would not occur in regulated markets. </p><h2>What does the future hold for bitcoin'</h2><p>On Tuesday, Biden's pick for treasury secretary, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-price-cryptocurrency-should-be-curtailed-terrorism-concerns-yellen-2021-1-1029985692'utm_source=markets&utm_medium=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Janet Yellen, suggested lawmakers curtail cryptocurrencies like bitcoin due to</a> concerns they are mainly used for illegal activities.</p><p>However, a Biden administration could be friendly to crypto, <a href="https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/biden-administration-could-be-friendly-to-crypto-133101753.html">according to Yahoo Finance,</a> given its pick of crypto expert Gary Gensler as SEC chairman. </p><p>Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-biden-administration-cryptocurrency-win-over-community-2021-1">published an op-ed on Thursday</a> stating that the federal government's signals to cryptocurrency has been confusing.</p><p>The article was written by James Ledbetter, chief content officer at Clarim Media and editor and publisher of FIN. It stated: "If the US wants to keep up with the global development of digital currencies, Biden's team must clearly answer some basic questions, like which ones will be regulated as securities, and will a Bitcoin-based ETF be approved'"</p><p>It remains to be seen whether these questions will be answered by the administration any time soon, however. </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-whales-the-key-facts-figures-you-need-to-know-2021-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story »</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-most-expensive-liquid-thoroughbred-horse-semen-2020-3">Why thoroughbred horse semen is the world's most expensive liquid</a></p>
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