Should retail investors pump the brakes on carrying the crypto market's weight? New research points toward a compelling answer.

For years, retail has been the backbone driving liquidity and trading volume across digital assets. But the data is telling a different story lately. When institutions and whales move big capital, retail often finds itself chasing moves already made—buying peaks, getting trapped in corrections. The pattern repeats.

Maybe it's time to ask harder questions: Are retail flows actually steering the market, or just following it? Is the heavy lifting actually worth it when the odds keep shifting?

The research doesn't offer easy answers, but one thing's clear—understanding who's really moving markets matters for anyone serious about crypto trading.