Cardano price slides 71% in 6 months but whales accumulate $213M in ADA— is a reversal brewing?

Cardano price is under pressure near $0.27 as whale accumulation grows and technical signals point to continued consolidation.

Cardano was trading at $0.275 at press time, down 2.7% in the past 24 hours. The token sits near the midpoint of its weekly range between $0.2581 and $0.3004.

Cardano (ADA) has gained 6.5% over the past week, but it is still down 25% in the last 30 days and just over 60% lower year-over-year. Over the past six months alone, the price has fallen roughly 71% from the $0.90 region to current levels.

CoinGlass data shows $339 million in 24-hour trading volume, down 6.6%, while open interest also fell slightly. Lower volume and open interest during consolidation often reflects reduced speculative activity rather than panic selling.

Cardano whales stack up ADA

On Feb. 25, on-chain analytics firm Santiment reported that Cardano whales and sharks holding between 100,000 and 100 million ADA have accumulated 819.4 million ADA over the past six months, worth roughly $213.9 million at current prices.

During the same period, ADA’s price fell from around $0.90 to $0.26, a drop of more than 71%.

Large holders increasing positions while price declines can signal long-term accumulation. It suggests that high-capital participants view current levels as attractive. This type of activity often appears during late-stage downtrends, when weaker hands exit and stronger hands build positions.

However, accumulation alone does not guarantee an immediate reversal. Price confirmation is still required.

Development across the ecosystem continues to move forward, further boosting long-term price outlook. The Midnight privacy chain is close to launching on mainnet, a step that may unlock new applications in privacy‑focused finance.

Institutional involvement is rising as well. Grayscale Investments has increased its ADA position, and ADA has been approved as loan collateral on Coinbase.

Access is also being widened through futures listings and exchange-traded fund filings, bringing it further into established financial markets. These factors may improve liquidity pathways and long-term utility, which can support price if demand returns.

Cardano price technical analysis

Cardano’s daily chart shows a clear multi-month downtrend. Since the $0.90 region, price has formed consistent lower highs and lower lows. That structure confirms a bearish trend on higher timeframes.

Price is trading below both the 20-day and 50-day moving averages. The 50-day SMA, currently near the $0.27–$0.28 area, acts as dynamic resistance. As long as ADA trades beneath it, sellers hold structural control. 

Bollinger Bands are compressing. Volatility has declined, as shown by the upper and lower bands tightening significantly. Often, this kind of squeeze precedes a sharp breakout, but the direction will only become clear once the price breaks.

Momentum is showing early signs of stabilization. After bouncing from below 30, the relative strength index now ranges in the high-30s to low-40s, indicating that selling pressure is easing. Still, momentum has yet to turn bullish.

Horizontal structure is clearly defined. The $0.25–$0.26 zone has acted as firm support, with multiple daily reactions showing demand absorption. Buyers continue defending that area. If this level breaks with strong volume, downside could accelerate toward the psychological $0.20 level.

The mid-Bollinger band and earlier rejection points are both in the $0.29–$0.30 range, where recent attempts at recovery have stalled. A clear move above $0.30 would alter the short-term structure, setting sights on $0.32.