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Is MARA Selling Bitcoin? On-Chain Transfers Spark Speculation

Is MARA Selling Bitcoin? On-Chain Transfers Spark Speculation

If you've been keeping an eye on the crypto markets, you might have caught wind of some intriguing movements from Marathon Digital Holdings, better known as MARA. This Bitcoin mining powerhouse has been a big buyer of BTC in recent times, but a recent tweet from on-chain sleuths at LookOnChain has everyone buzzing: Are they flipping the script and starting to sell?

Let's break it down. LookOnChain, a popular account for tracking whale activities on the blockchain, posted about a series of transfers totaling 2,348 BTC—worth around $236 million at the time—from MARA's wallets to various platforms like FalconX, Two Prime, Galaxy Digital, and Coinbase Prime. These moves happened over the past 12 hours (as of November 5, 2025), and they look like this:

Screenshot of MARA's recent Bitcoin transfers from LookOnChain

For those new to this, on-chain analysis involves looking at blockchain transactions to spot patterns, like big players moving funds. MARA is one of the largest publicly traded Bitcoin miners, and they've made headlines for their "HODL" strategy—holding onto the Bitcoin they mine rather than selling it immediately. This approach bets on BTC's long-term value appreciation, much like how some meme token communities encourage holding through volatility.

But why the transfers? Sending BTC to exchanges or OTC (over-the-counter) desks like these often signals potential sales, as these platforms facilitate large trades without crashing the market price. It's not uncommon for miners to offload some holdings to cover operational costs, especially with energy prices fluctuating and the post-halving environment making mining less profitable for smaller players.

However, not everyone is convinced this means MARA is dumping. In fact, a reply to the tweet from user @CK_Cryptoklepto called it "blatant misinformation," pointing to a fresh interview with MARA's CEO, Fred Thiel, on Bloomberg TV. In the discussion, Thiel emphasized that MARA is sticking to its Bitcoin treasury strategy. He mentioned opportunistic buys in October when prices dipped and highlighted conservative yield-generating tactics, like lending out BTC to creditworthy parties on short-term bases. This could explain the transfers—perhaps MARA is lending rather than selling outright.

Thiel also touched on exciting expansions, including a deal with MPLX to build gas-fired power plants for up to 1.5 gigawatts of power, and their first AI inference site co-located with Bitcoin mining operations. This diversification into AI and energy could be why they're managing liquidity carefully, but it doesn't scream "panic sell."

For context, MARA's stock has been under pressure, down significantly from its peaks, amid broader market jitters. But their core business remains tied to Bitcoin's success. If BTC continues its upward trajectory—some analysts are eyeing six-figure targets—these moves might just be smart portfolio management.

In the world of crypto, where meme tokens can moon or crash on a whim, MARA's actions remind us that even established players navigate volatility. Whether this is a sign of shifting strategies or just routine ops, it's worth watching. Check out the full on-chain details on Arkham Intelligence for a deeper dive.

What do you think—is MARA selling, or is this much ado about nothing? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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