Lighter and Mantle whales have become active: a surge in large transactions over the past six months
The altcoin market is once again attracting the attention of major players. In recent days, analytical systems have recorded a six-month high in whale activity for Lighter (LIT) and Mantle (MNT) tokens. These movements occur against a backdrop of sharp price fluctuations and fundamental changes within the projects themselves.
Lighter: Tokenomics Overhaul Sparks Interest
According to on-chain analytics, the number of LIT transactions exceeding $100,000 reached 86 — the highest figure since the start of the year. This surge coincided with a dynamic price increase: on Monday, the LIT rate soared by over 20%, reaching $2.6 — its highest level since January. The weekly gain amounted to approximately 37.9%.
The reason for the heightened whale attention is clear: last month, the Lighter team implemented a major tokenomics update. A burn mechanism was introduced, reducing the total LIT supply, and staking conditions were changed, offering a fixed 6% annual yield from a pool of 250 million tokens. It is these factors — buyback mechanisms, burns, and new partnerships — that have created a powerful catalyst for large holders.
Mantle: Betting on Real-World Assets
A similar picture is emerging for the MNT token. 37 large transactions exceeding $100,000 were recorded — also a six-month high. Whale interest is directly linked to the development of the tokenized real-world assets (RWA) segment within the Mantle ecosystem.
In its recent first-half report, the project team reported all-time highs in on-chain economics. The total value locked (TVL) in the DeFi segment surpassed a record $1 billion, of which $90 million came from RWA solutions. The market capitalization of stablecoins on the network reached $955 million, showing a year-over-year growth of 120%. The network currently supports 155 tokenized equities and holds a treasury of over $1.8 billion.
However, despite fundamental growth, the MNT price continues to follow the broader market. Over the past day, the token fell by 2% to $0.431, and over the month, it decreased by approximately 11%. Nevertheless, a slight gain of 1.4% was observed over the last week.
My analysis: The activation of whales in both projects is a clear signal that large capital is beginning to reassess the prospects of altcoins with a strong fundamental base. In the case of Lighter, the driver was tokenomic changes creating a supply deficit. For Mantle, the key factor is the growth of the RWA sector, which attracts institutional investors. However, while the overall market sentiment remains unstable, it is premature to talk about a long-term trend. We are monitoring the volume of large transactions — this is one of the most reliable indicators of "smart money" sentiment.