Hands holding a blue Cardano coin and a glowing exclamation mark against a stock chart.

Cardano (ADA) continues to face heavy selling pressure, trading near $0.15 in July 2026, leaving many long-term holders disappointed. One crypto analyst admitted he also did not expect ADA to be at these levels after previously reaching above $3. However, he argues that the current market environment reflects a broader crypto slowdown rather than a failure of Cardano itself.

According to the analyst, the crypto cycle changed after 2025, catching much of the industry by surprise. While sentiment remains weak, he believes Cardano is entering a potential accumulation phase rather than the end of its growth story.

Cardano (ADA) Near Bottoming Zone

The analyst notes that ADA is now trading roughly 90% below its all-time high, placing it in a historical bottoming range seen during previous crypto bear markets. The $0.14 level remains a critical support area after buyers defended it during June’s sell-off.

Although he does not rule out another decline below support, he said investors should prepare for both scenarios instead of reacting emotionally. Historically, periods of maximum fear have often created long-term buying opportunities across the crypto market.

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Whale Accumulation shows Confidence

One of the strongest bullish signs, according to the analyst, is continued whale accumulation. 

  • Wallets holding 1 million or more ADA now control 67.5% of the circulating supply.
  • Wallets with 10–100 million ADA increased their share during June’s sell-off.
  • Whale holdings have reached their highest level since February 2023, even as smaller investors continue selling.

The analyst says this behavior mirrors previous crypto cycles, where large investors quietly accumulated while retail sentiment remained extremely negative.

ETF Timeline and Network Upgrades

Beyond whale activity, the analyst noted that the institutional interest is gradually building. Following the launch of CME Cardano futures in February 2026, the market is now watching a possible spot ADA ETF review, with October 2026 viewed as a key decision period.

The analyst highlights three major developments that could strengthen Cardano’s ecosystem:

  • Leios Scaling Upgrade: Designed to increase transaction capacity and address concerns about network speed.
  • RealFi Expansion: It mainly focuses on connecting Cardano with real-world assets, including credit markets, bonds, and business lending.
  • Van Rossem Hard Fork July 18: Expected to improve smart contracts, privacy features, and zero-knowledge proof capabilities.

According to him, these upgrades could help solve some of Cardano’s biggest criticisms, particularly around scalability and adoption.

Price Outlook

On the price front, the analyst noted that ADA’s current price of around $0.15 does not reflect its growing whale accumulation, potential spot ETF catalyst, or major upgrades like Leios and RealFi. While he isn’t urging investors to buy, he says that even if ADA drops below $0.10, continued institutional accumulation, ETF prospects, and improving network fundamentals could position Cardano for a strong recovery in the next crypto bull cycle. Overall, the cryptocurrency is down 1.62% over the past 24 hours.

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