LINK Whale Transactions Surge as New Wallets Show Little Growth

• Chainlink whale activity hit a 2026 high as LINK volatility increased, while Chainlink wallets and LINK adoption showed limited growth
• LINK gained around 24% between September 1 and October 6, but new wallet growth remained below 2%
• CoinCodex’s LINK price prediction chart projects a price of $17.36 by January 6, 2027

Chainlink whale activity has hit its highest level in 2026, but the token is showing signs of mixed sentiment. Per the latest Santiment report, LINK’s adoption is slow currently, with new Chainlink wallets growing slowly despite its high price performance as of late. What is happening with the Chainlink (LINK) price as of late?

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Link Whales Drives Attention As Volatility Rises

The latest Santiment data shows Link recorded nearly 681 transactions worth at least $100,000 in a single day. This count has been the highest since November 2025. Moreover, the LINK price has also been displaying new movements, surging from $8 in August to $15 before pulling back. The token’s price movement at present is displaying serious volatility, pushing traders to adopt a cautious stance.

At the same time, institutional interest towards the asset is also drawing attention. Apart from getting attention from Link whales, the token is also attracting institutional interest due to its latest CCIP 2.0 launch. Chainlink is also involved in new projects connecting financial institutions with SWIFT’s blockchain infrastructure. However, these developments do not confirm that institutional activity caused the LINK price surge.

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Chainlink Wallets Growth Is Slow

The link to wallet data is telling a different story altogether. Link rose approximately $11.22 on September 1 to $13.96 on October 6, reflecting a gain around 24%.

To understand in simple terms, MarketcapOf’s ROI calculator shows how a $1,000 investment in LINK at $11.22 on September 1 would have been worth approximately $1,244.21 at $13.96 on October 6, giving a return of around $244.21 before fees.

However, the new address counts are still moving at a slow pace. Link new wallets surged 1249 per day in the four weeks to October 6, as compared to 1225 per day in the four weeks on September 1st.

This indicates that the price rally has not been accompanied by comparable growth in new LINK addresses.

LINK Future Price

According to CoinCodex LINK stats, the link price may surge to a new high of $17.40 by December 2026.

“Chainlink is forecasted to hit $18.38 by the end of 2026 (+43.42% compared to current rates), $33.06 by 2030 (+157.97%), $57.64 by 2040 (+349.72%), and $82.78 by 2050 (+545.84%).”

The CoinCodex price panel showcases a bullish momentum for the LINK price in the future.

Crypto markets are subject to change and are unpredictable. Hence, user discretion is advised before making any investment-related decisions.

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