A mysterious Bitcoin (BTC) whale shifted more than 1,104 BTC ($114 million) between unknown wallets just moments after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed President Donald Trump's 'big' speech at 1PM will be all about the economy.
Blockchain data shows that the timing of the whale's movement was less than 15 minutes after Trump's team confirmed his appearance at a business forum. The development has triggered speculations from analysts watching liquidity tighten across crypto markets.
Political winds turn as economic pain deepens
The 'big' economic address is set to come a day after Democrats swept key state elections in New Jersey and Virginia, with polls showing deep voter frustration over affordability and cost-of-living pressures.
A New York Times analysis noted that only 27% of voters believe Trump's policies have improved economic conditions, while 30% say he has lived up to expectations on inflation control.
Related: Mamdani elected New York mayor, crypto entrepreneurs weigh leaving city
"Affordability was on the ballot today, and Democrats have won all across the country," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told CNN.
Shutdown and tariffs weigh on confidence
As of Nov. 5, the U.S. federal government shutdown has reached Day 36 - the longest in American history - with core services curtailed and key economic reports delayed. Analysts warn the prolonged data blackout (jobs, retail sales, housing) complicates price discovery across risk assets, including crypto.
Trump's signature tariffs, meanwhile, remain under scrutiny. The Supreme Court is currently debating their legality.
Prediction markets are already reflecting the tension. On Polymarket, the contract "Supreme Court rules in favor of Trump's tariffs?" traded at 24% on Wednesday, down 27% over the week, suggesting traders see waning odds of the policy being upheld.
"SCOTUS is in session! But no one is talking about the very high likelihood that tariffs are completely aborted," wrote @ElHechizado on X. "Polymarket has it at 39% and dropped as low as 35% in favor of Trump. The ramifications of which are extreme Crypto, Gold, and Silver plunge! Miners go dark!"
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Market anxiety spills into crypto
With the shutdown freezing federal spending and tariff litigation clouding trade, risk assets remain jittery.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin (BTC) reflected a gain of 2.1% to trade at $103,419, holding firm above the $100K line. Ethereum (ETH), meanwhile, sits at $3,420 (+1.2%), consolidating near key resistance at $3.5K.
The whale's sudden $114 million move underscores that big-money players are positioning for volatility, as per CoinGecko.
This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Nov 5, 2025, where it first appeared in the Business News section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
