Chainlink Whales Sell After $30 Rejection: What’s Next for LINK?

• Chainlink has experienced a turbulent trading environment over recent weeks, with its price hitting a crucial resistance level of $30.
• LINK has steadily declined following multiple rounds of crypto liquidations and is currently trading at approximately $20, reflecting a 3.78% decrease over the past 24 hours.

Earlier in December, Chainlink (LINK) experienced notable market activity, resulting in an impressive 21% price surge within a single day. This spike was largely fueled by the World Liberty Financial Initiative (WLFI), a decentralized finance (DeFi) project supported by US President-elect Donald Trump, which invested $1 million in LINK tokens. The initiative specifically selected Chainlink for its data feed integration as it prepared to launch its protocol on Aave v3.

However, in recent weeks, the market dynamics surrounding LINK have shifted considerably. On-chain metrics reveal an increase in selling pressure from whale investors. As LINK’s price approached the $30 threshold, these large holders capitalized on the opportunity to secure profits, leading to a significant rise in transactions valued at over $1 million. At the end of December, we reported that Chainlink whales, holding between 1 million and 10 million LINK tokens, had made substantial acquisitions, accumulating an impressive 3.58 million LINK tokens worth approximately $76.9 million within just three days.

This uptick in whale transaction activity mirrors patterns seen in the latter half of 2021, indicating that major players are choosing to take profits after a failed price rally. An analysis of the liquidation heatmap shows a consistent decline in LINK prices, particularly over the past week, during which a bearish sentiment has dominated. 

Although there are liquidity pockets just below the short-term support levels, the prevailing negative outlook has hindered any significant recovery. If this downward trend persists, the $20 support level, which once held strong, may face increased pressure, potentially leading to further declines as the market looks to find liquidity.

LINK’s Price Outlook for 2025

Looking at the longer-term perspective, the outlook for LINK remains strongly bullish. According to price analysis from CoinCodex, January could signal the start of a bullish recovery for Chainlink. The maximum projected price for LINK in January is $43.03, suggesting a potential return on investment (ROI) of 91%. CoinCodex’s projections are even more ambitious, predicting a 160% increase by May 2025, with LINK potentially reaching $59.

Top cryptocurrency analyst Ali Martinez has noted that Chainlink seems to be forming a head-and-shoulders pattern, a technical formation often associated with bearish reversals. If this pattern is confirmed, it could foreshadow a dramatic decline in LINK’s price, with potential targets as low as $14 looming in the coming weeks. At press time, LINK is trading at $19.68 with a market cap of $12.63 billion and a 29.59% drop in its trading volume.

While Chainlink experienced a temporary surge due to World Liberty’s influence last month, the current market sentiment has shifted toward profit-taking and selling among whales.