A recent analysis from an on-chain analytics firm has highlighted a noteworthy trend in Bitcoin’s realized profits, which experienced a cooling-off period just before the cryptocurrency’s remarkable price surge earlier this month.
Recent Decline in Bitcoin Realized Profit
In its latest report, the analytics company discussed the recently observed trends in Bitcoin’s Realized Profit. This specific on-chain metric calculates the profits that Bitcoin investors realize through their transactions, reflecting the amount of profit generated via the sale of their coins.
The Realized Profit metric operates by examining the transfer history of each BTC. It measures profit by comparing the sale price against the price at which the coin was previously acquired. If the current market price exceeds the original purchase price, the transaction realizes a profit, and the difference constitutes the realized gain.
Conversely, the Realized Loss metric tracks transactions that result in losses, where the selling price is lower than the purchase price.
The latest data reveals a downward trend in the 7-day moving average of Bitcoin Realized Profit. Notably, while this profit metric remained above the $1 billion threshold throughout much of the fourth quarter of 2025, it plummeted to just $183.8 million in December. This decline indicates a significant weakening in profit realization, particularly among long-term holders, signaling a decrease in selling pressure that had previously influenced price movements.
Interestingly, this slowdown in profit-taking coincided with a remarkable upswing in Bitcoin’s price, which climbed above $94,000 in early January 2026. Analysts suggest this surge occurred as the intensity of selling eased, allowing the market to stabilize and lay down the groundwork for further price appreciation.
While the Realized Profit and Realized Loss metrics focus on profits and losses that investors have actually realized, they do not account for unrealized profits or losses. To address this gap, another valuable indicator called the Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) Ratio can be utilized, particularly for assessing unrealized gains among newer market participants.
In this context, the report examined the MVRV ratio specifically for short-term holders (STHs)—those who maintain their holdings for 155 days or less. Analyses show that the STH MVRV has recently dipped below the value of 1, indicating that new entrants into the market are currently facing unrealized losses.
Current Bitcoin Price Movement
After experiencing fluctuations earlier in the week, Bitcoin briefly dipped below $90,000, before rebounding to approximately $90,900 as of the latest updates. This recent price shift may suggest growing confidence among investors following the recent profit-taking reset.
