Dogecoin (DOGE) Falls 10% to $0.17 as Whales Dump $74M Despite Nasdaq Merger Hype

In the past 24 hours, Dogecoin (DOGE)’s price slipped another 10% to $0.17, extending a weekly drop of more than 27% as on-chain data showed whales unloading roughly 360 million DOGE ($74 million).

The selloff arrived despite upbeat headlines around House of Doge’s plan to merge with a Nasdaq-listed company and Thumzup’s exploration of DOGE payouts for creators.

Initial excitement faded quickly as traders framed both developments as early-stage rather than immediately revenue-impacting, prompting profit-taking into thin liquidity. Broader crypto weakness, Bitcoin and Ethereum also retreating, amplified pressure on higher-beta meme coins like DOGE.

Technically, DOGE is testing a make-or-break band near $0.17–$0.19, the lower boundary of a multi-week channel flagged by several analysts. Holding this area could fuel a rebound toward $0.21–$0.23, where a dense cluster of moving averages and prior supply capped every bounce this month.

A daily close above $0.221–$0.23 would invalidate the short-term descending structure and open room toward $0.25–$0.26, while failure to defend $0.17 risks a slide to $0.16–$0.15.

Momentum gauges are cautious as RSI hovers near 45, signaling waning buying strength, and derivatives show mixed positioning, futures volume up, but open interest and funding largely neutral, implying traders expect volatility without a clear directional conviction.

For a durable recovery, DOGE needs follow-through catalysts, not just headlines. Clear timelines on the House of Doge–Nasdaq merger (treasury operations, treasury size, revenue model) and a formal launch of Thumzup’s DOGE payouts would help convert narrative into flows.

On-chain, a slowdown in whale distribution and renewed exchange outflows would tighten circulating supply, while spot bid depth must improve around $0.18–$0.19 to absorb shocks. Macro still matters: easing U.S.–China tariff rhetoric, improving risk appetite, and steadier BTC dominance could re-ignite meme liquidity.

If bulls defend $0.17 and reclaim $0.21–$0.23 on rising volume, a grind toward $0.25–$0.33 is back on the table. If not, the path of least resistance remains lower in the near term. For now, traders are treating rallies as tactical, and investors are watching confirmation signals before leaning back into the $1 long-term dream.

Cover image from ChatGPT, DOGEUSD chart from Tradingview