Holder Base Expands Despite Price Weakness The number of wallets holding at least 1 $LINK has climbed above 535,000, reaching its highest point since December 2022, according to on-chain anal
The number of wallets holding at least 1 $LINK has climbed above 535,000, reaching its highest point since December 2022, according to on-chain analytics firm Santiment. The milestone is notable because it has arrived while LINK continues to trade well below its previous cycle peak, suggesting accumulation is being driven by conviction rather than price momentum.
Separate Santiment data shows a broader pattern of accumulation across wallet tiers. The number of wallets holding at least 1,000 LINK climbed to 25,420, the highest level recorded in 2026, while larger wallets holding 100,000 LINK or more reached an all-time high of 805, up 8.2% over just seven weeks. Santiment noted that wallets in the 100,000 to 10 million LINK range added roughly 32.93 million tokens in a single month, a 7.7% increase, with buying concentrated during a period of subdued price action rather than during an obvious rally.
The divergence between price and holder growth is what analysts are watching most closely. Chainlink's price remained mostly stable during the accumulation window, yet whale-sized addresses kept growing in number, a pattern that can indicate longer-term positioning rather than short-term trading. Santiment described key stakeholders as showing clear bullishness toward the asset.
Historically, rising holder counts have been viewed as a sign of growing adoption and long-term conviction. When larger participants build positions during low-volatility periods, it can quietly reduce liquid supply, which may become a factor if demand returns. For now, LINK remains well below its all-time high near $53, and the token has spent much of 2026 trading in the $9 to $10 range. Whether the on-chain accumulation translates into price recovery depends on broader market conditions and continued network adoption.
Sources:CryptoNews: Chainlink Wallets Hit 2026 High as LINK Price Stays FlatNewsBTC: Chainlink Whales Buy 32.9 Million LINK As Holdings Hit Record HighThe Cryptonomist: Chainlink Whale Accumulation Hits Record as LINK Stays Rangebound
