How to Maximize Your Gains in Crypto by Following the Whales? An Interview with Dmitry Ivanov

Today, we’re joined by Dmitry Ivanov, the creator of the Happy Investor channel and a successful entrepreneur. Together, we’ll dive into the latest trends in the crypto market, explore how to spot whales, analyze their moves, and discuss the critical roles of product development, market-making, and marketing in driving project success. Dmitry also shares his insights on BTC, altcoins, dollar, and the stock market.

Watch the video version on our YouTube channel.

Disclaimer: The podcast was recorded on December 12, 2024, and some information may be outdated.

 

— Hey Dmitry. For many, you're the guy who really gets crypto. I know you're all about tracking and following the whales. How did you get into this?

— Hey! Back in 2021, I put together a team of analysts, and we focused on traditional fundamental analysis. At the time, I thought that was the key. But eventually, we started inviting some well-known people for informal meetings. We held these meetings in a bathhouse, just chatting without any commercial goals.

One day, my future partner came by. He had been into crypto since 2016. At first, he seemed a little crazy to me, but his results spoke for themselves. That conversation turned into a long-term partnership, and a few months later, I invested into his strategy. By the end of the year, it had delivered the highest returns, and from then on, I’ve been focused only on this.

— What's the essence of your strategy?

— It's based on analyzing the behavior of whales My team track the wallets of the whales and replicate the trades that we think are promising.

— How do you find the whales?

— You need to identify large wallets and study their behavior. There are several services for this; I recommend starting with Arkham. It helps you spot what’s called "smart money" — the funds of major investors who control significant portions of the market.

— So, it’s about analyzing asset distribution and looking at the big holders?

— Exactly. If you find a whale wallet, you need to analyze its historical returns and make decisions based on that.

— Do you have to do it manually?

—  It can be automated. The key is understanding what’s happening within the trading volumes. This lets you identify who is making moves and when. Typically, major players fall into categories like developers, whales, market makers, retail investors, and funds. We base our predictions on the profile of these players in our community.

— What should you focus on when analyzing?

— For effective on-chain analysis, you need to consider the following:

• The volume of capital held by major holders.
• The average entry point of the capital.
• Historical entry and exit points, as well as the current situation. 

Based on this data, you can perform comparative analysis and make informed decisions.

— Let’s talk more about whales. Who are they?

— They’re funds, development teams, entrepreneurs, and major investors. The altcoin market is powered by big capital. Most of these are private funds, and those with over $1 billion tend to be interconnected, with decisions often made behind closed doors.

— What role do marketing and market manipulation play?

— A huge role. For example, HBO recently released a film about the creator of Bitcoin. At first glance, it seems like just good marketing. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll realize who’s behind it. The main shareholders of HBO are Warner Brothers, and their owners are BlackRock and Vanguard. Such moves indicate that these companies want to control the market. We also saw the recent approval of the BTC ETF application, which wasn’t just by chance. You’d think with news like that, the price would not only hit a new high but skyrocket — but that’s not what happened. When volatility slows down and the price stays at the same level, it means someone is actively selling, but in a way that doesn’t crash the market.

— So, what’s the logic behind it?

— I think big capital has been moving out of BTC for about six months. The asset is at an ATH, and it's important to stay realistic about the situation. Most of the time, news just explains to people why the price is going up or down. The brain takes this chain of events and forms a reality, and small investors buy Bitcoin while big companies are selling it.

—  So, most funds are shorting it?

— They're just selling their Bitcoins. On average, the big capital I track has sold about half of their Bitcoins. They bought in the range of $16,000 to $25,000 and sold around $65,000. Now, these assets are being moved into altcoins.

— Who exactly are you following?

— I follow those who control the price of the asset or understand who’s doing it and why. I have several projects I invested in early on, and in these projects, my partners and I are the main holders, and we’ll get a share of the company down the line. On a higher level, there are people doing the same thing, and I follow them too.

— Does a project’s success depend on the quality of the product, or is it more about finding investors?

—  You need both skills. Investors want to back strong products and people, but there are exceptions where assets are pumped just for fun. We often analyze such approaches within the community.

— You have a community. What does it take to get in?

— The club is something I do for the soul. We practice yoga, neurotherapy, hypnotherapy, and tea ceremonies. First and foremost – the desire. To be honest, ethical, and ready to take risks. As a barrier, I ask for an investment of at least $100,000 into one of my strategies. It can be in various sectors: real estate, IT, manufacturing, healthcare, or plastic recycling. Before that, I have a personal interview with the person.

— What questions do you ask, and how do you know if someone’s a good fit?

— I need to understand:

• Are they risking their last bit of money?
• Do they understand the risks?
• How interested are they in crypto?

 If our goals align, I shake the hand and invite into the community.

— Why do you make money?

— To realize my potential. Right now, I’m traveling the world, buying land in different corners of the planet to create a network of medical centers. These centers will help people restore their bodies, personalities, and mental states. Without money, you can’t achieve this. My vision is to spend no more than 15-20% of my life making money.

— You’ve been traveling the world for three years. What are the top 3 places that impressed you the most?

— The favelas of Brazil. In the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, 250,000 people live without any government involvement. It’s a place where it’s allowed to kill if someone does you wrong. I was there on a bike tour — that’s an experience you can’t get through a tour agency.

— Bali. It’s like your grandma’s village, where you go to relax your soul. Bali is peace and harmony. I spend part of my time there doing practices.

— Cape Town. Gorgeous nature, delicious food, little traffic. I just came back from there, lived in one of the small towns near the ocean, and met some fascinating people. It’s a mesmerizing place.

— What do you think the future holds for cryptocurrency?

— Crypto is leading us towards full control. Transactions, payments, data – everything is already under control, but with blockchain, it’ll be like a true all-seeing eye. Global decentralization is unlikely because the world is centralized right now, and no government wants to relinquish control.

— How do you see the situation in the US?

— The transition is inevitable. The dollar will eventually be replaced by another reserve currency. Analysts have been predicting this for years, and it might happen in 2025. The stock market is at its peak, so I’m expecting a 20% correction. I’d like to see how closely crypto and the stock market are tied.

— Thanks for the conversation, Dmitry!

Conclusion

These days, results are not just achieved in front of trading terminals, but increasingly through the subtle art of marketing and market influence. Dmitry’s conversation clearly highlights this truth. To understand what’s happening behind the scenes of the market, it’s crucial to follow the actions of big players, analyze key indicators, and be able to quickly adapt to changes.

Dmitry is the perfect example of how tracking large players and understanding market mechanisms can serve as the foundation for successful decision-making.

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