Chainlink’s native token LINK has climbed to a 6-month high, fueled by record wallet activity, whale accumulation, and expanding institutional adoption.
Key Takeaways
- 1LINK surged to $26.51 before pulling back to around $24.18, up nearly 30% over the last month.
- 2Wallet creation and transaction volume hit yearly highs, signaling robust network activity.
- 3Whales added 1.1 million LINK, with large holders increasing their stake by over 12%.
- 4Institutional partnerships and real-world data feeds, including ETFs and equities, continue to bolster Chainlink’s ecosystem.
What Happened?
Chainlink briefly spiked to an intraday high of $26.51 on August 19 before retreating slightly to around $24.18, reflecting a 1.5% drop in the past 24 hours. Despite the pullback, LINK remains up significantly over the past month, supported by bullish technical signals, strong on-chain metrics, and growing use cases in both decentralized finance and traditional markets.
LINK Breaks Out with Momentum and Record Wallet Activity
The rally began with a clean technical breakout above a multi-month resistance zone at $20 to $21, which had previously suppressed price movements throughout early 2025. This upward move was backed by strong trading volume and helped push LINK above the 200-day moving average.
According to Santiment, Chainlink logged its highest wallet activity of 2025 in mid-August. On August 17, more than 9,800 wallets made LINK transfers, while 9,600 new wallets were created the next day, both setting yearly records.
🔗📈 Chainlink has remained a force among the altcoin pack, jumping above $26 for the first time in seven months. On-chain activity has been even more impressive than the price. 9,813 different $LINK addresses made at least one transfer on Sunday, and 9,625 new $LINK wallets were… pic.twitter.com/ePGjiBcSyl
— Santiment (@santimentfeed) August 19, 2025
These metrics highlight rising organic demand, likely from both institutional players and retail investors, contributing to longer-term price confidence.
Whale Accumulation and Supply Pressure
On-chain data shows whales accumulated over 1.1 million LINK, worth around $27 million in the past week alone. The top 100 wallets increased holdings by 12%, according to Nansen, signaling continued smart money confidence in LINK’s trajectory.
At the same time, the launch of the Chainlink Reserve in early August introduced a new deflationary mechanism. This smart contract-based treasury locks away enterprise revenue, and has already absorbed over 100,000 LINK, reducing the circulating supply and easing sell pressure.
Additionally, staking activity now locks up nearly 40% of LINK’s circulating supply, offering 5% to 7% annual rewards. This not only decreases market float but also reinforces long-term holder confidence.
Real-World Adoption and Institutional Integration
Chainlink continues to dominate in the real-world asset (RWA) tokenization space, ranking first in RWA development activity, as per Santiment. The project recently launched new data feeds for U.S. equities and ETFs, a critical step in bridging traditional finance with decentralized platforms.
A notable partnership with the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), parent of the New York Stock Exchange, was announced on August 11. This integration brings precious metals and forex data to Chainlink’s Data Streams, further strengthening its enterprise appeal.
Previous collaborations with Google Cloud, SWIFT, and the DTCC continue to bolster its credibility as the go-to oracle solution.
Technical Outlook and Price Scenarios
Technically, LINK remains in a bullish posture. The relative strength index (RSI) is currently around 64 and the Stochastic Oscillator sits at 87, suggesting the token is nearing overbought conditions.
Key levels to watch include:
- Resistance: $27.50 to $28.00, with $30 as a major psychological barrier
- Support: $22.50 initially, followed by a stronger base at $21.00
Analysts suggest a run toward $29 is possible if Bitcoin stays above $115,000 and broader market conditions remain favorable. However, they also caution that a retest of $20 could occur if altcoin momentum fades.
CoinLaw’s Takeaway
In my experience, when you see this kind of confluence between on-chain growth, whale accumulation, and real-world partnerships, it’s not just another pump. Chainlink is building in all the right places, enterprise adoption, ecosystem development, and smart tokenomics. The $30 level feels like a near-term inevitability, not a stretch. What excites me most is the real-world integration of ETF and equity data, which could solidify LINK’s role as the backbone of tokenized finance. I wouldn’t be surprised if $50 comes back into view faster than expected, especially if regulatory and market conditions align.
