Cardano (ADA) continued to come under pressure on Monday, trading near $0.158 after recording a steep loss of more than 14% in just one week. The coin is still positioned below key moving averages, as technical momentum indicators suggest that bearish sentiment prevails in the short term.
Major holders accumulate as price falls
Despite the recent price drop, large ADA holders have been actively increasing their positions. Blockchain analytics firm Santiment reported that wallets holding between 100,000 and 100 million ADA collectively acquired an additional 320 million tokens since July 7. As a result, this group’s total balance surpassed 25.6 billion ADA, marking its highest level since February 2023.
In contrast, smaller retail investors have trimmed their exposure. Addresses with less than 100 ADA reduced their holdings by approximately 0.7% over the past four months, reflecting a lack of confidence among retail participants as prices continue to slide.
Santiment commented that stronger hands are accumulating while the overall price chart remains challenging. The firm highlighted ongoing development activity within the Cardano ecosystem, citing the Leios testnet, Hydra scaling upgrades, and progress with Mithril.
Mini dictionary: Santiment is a blockchain analytics platform that provides data on cryptocurrency metrics, including on-chain activity, supply distribution, and investor behavior.
| Holder Category | Recent Change | Total Holdings |
|---|---|---|
| Whales (100,000–100 million ADA) | +320 million ADA since July 7 | 25.6 billion ADA (highest since Feb 2023) |
| Retail (<100 ADA) | -0.7% in 4 months | N/A |
Futures and technical signals remain negative
On the derivatives front, indicators continue to reflect a bearish outlook. Open interest for ADA futures dropped to $385 million, continuing a multi-week decline. The OI-weighted funding rate turned negative Friday and reached -0.0028% by Monday, meaning traders holding short positions are paying their long counterparts—an indicator often associated with negative sentiment.
Cardano’s long-to-short ratio slipped to 0.79, marking its lowest reading in over a month. When this ratio falls below 1.0, it signals that more traders expect further downside, outweighing those who anticipate gains.
Other momentum indicators remain weak. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovers near 42, a level often interpreted as neutral-to-bearish, while the MACD indicator is trending toward its zero line, suggesting a lack of clear upward momentum.
Key levels watched for potential reversal
ADA is consolidating around $0.16, regarded as crucial support by market participants. If this level holds, initial upside targets include $0.17 and then $0.18. A sustained move above $0.20 would provide a stronger signal that bulls are regaining the upper hand.
On the downside, $0.150 serves as immediate support, while a breach could open the path toward the $0.13 to $0.14 zone. Some analysts also monitor a descending channel pattern, viewing it as a possible base for a future reversal. Breaking out of this formation would likely reactivate resistance levels at $0.18 and then $0.20.
Cardano’s market capitalization, which currently sits below $6.8 billion, is also under scrutiny. Reclaiming this level may prove pivotal for triggering a broader recovery.
By July 14, 2026, major ADA stakeholders continued to maintain their largest combined holdings in three and a half years, defying the broader market’s negative trend.
