MANTRA’s (OM) Cataclysmic Price Collapse Raised Immediate Red Flags About Potential Insider Activity and Price Manipulation

In response, whales have sold off their holdings, hinting that the most informed wallets are de-risking. However, industry experts are confident that this episode is only a hiccup in the long-term consolidation of the real-world asset (RWA) market.

The catastrophic price collapse of MANTRA (OM) on Monday, rendering the token nearly worthless, has sparked immediate concerns over potential insider activity and price manipulation.

In response, whales have sold off their holdings, hinting that the most informed wallets are de-risking, while industry experts are confident that this episode is only a hiccup in the long-term consolidation of the real-world asset (RWA) market.

BeInCrypto spoke with experts from Blocksquare, Credefi, and QuantHive to discuss what went wrong during the token crash, the aftermath, and how it has affected current enthusiasm over tokenized assets.

The Price Crash

On Monday, the MANTRA (OM) token suffered a catastrophic price collapse, plummeting over 90% in less than an hour and wiping out over $5.5 billion in market capitalization. The sudden crash took OM from a high of $6.33 to below $0.50.

With the MANTRA team allegedly holding nearly 90% of the total token supply, the action immediately sparked concerns over possible insider trading and price manipulation.

On-chain data revealed a deposit of 3.9 million OM tokens to the OKX exchange from a wallet allegedly linked to the MANTRA team. This substantial deposit immediately raised red flags within the investor community. The primary concern was that the team was preparing for a large-scale sell-off.

“It seems like a classic case of low transparency meeting high concentration risk. A significant‬ ‭token transfer to a centralized exchange—especially one perceived to be linked to the core‬ ‭team—can be enough to trigger panic in any market, let alone one already on edge,” Ivo Grigorov, CEO of Credefi, told BeInCrypto.

The token underwent a rapid wave of forced liquidations to the tune of $66.97 million in only 12 hours, furthering OM’s downfall. The MANTRA team reportedly maintained significant control over OM’s supply, holding as much as 90% —approximately 792 million tokens— in a single wallet.

As a result, only a small fraction was available for public trading, rendering the token susceptible to substantial selling pressure and raising sharp concerns over insider activity.

According to recent data from QuantHive, an AI trading platform that routinely monitors blockchain activity and tracks the combined movements of leading ‘Alpha’ traders, there has been a strong shift in sentiment around the OM token.

Impact on Investor Confidence

Following Monday’s event, investor confidence in the MANTRA project seems to be severely damaged, and the project’s future appears bleak.

QuantHive's analysis identified that Alpha wallets were generally net accumulators of OM, signaling confidence. However, since the downfall, in the last 48 hours, QuantHive observed over $2.5 million in OM sold versus $1.6 million bought. This pivot suggests a coordinated exit or a lack of confidence in the recovery of the project among seasoned players.

At the same time, news of the price collapse has drawn significant attention to the project. As a result, on-chain traction around the OM token has risen considerably over the past two days. However, despite the buzz, QuantHive's platform Flow Sentiment Signal shifted to [Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt].

"This spawns from a combination of factors, including the speed and magnitude of the price crash, the reported actions of the core team, and the unfolding events on-chain, which are being closely monitored by both institutional and retail traders," said Felix Huang, QuantHive's Marketing & Community Lead.

At the same time, large investors are massively exiting the market.

What do the Whale Sell-Offs Mean?

During the MANTRA episode, a substantial sell-off occurred, seemingly initiated by significant disposals from large holders. Blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain tracked at least 17 wallets that collectively deposited 43.6 million OM tokens, valued at $227 million, onto exchanges starting April 7.

This volume constituted 4.5% of OM’s circulating supply, highlighting a major offloading event by key investors. According to Huang, this data is significant, showing that whales are reducing their exposure to MANTRA.

“The data suggests that the most informed wallets are currently de-risking. This is a reaction to the entire fiasco. Whatever the cause is, retail and institutional observers should tread with caution—the whales have spoken, and for now, they’re heading toward the exit,” he explained.

This conclusion is easily reached given the long-standing increase in concerns about the project's fundamentals.

Early Signs of Mismanagement

In the last year, accusations have emerged that the MANTRA team manipulated the token’s price using market makers, altered the token’s economic structure, and repeatedly postponed a community airdrop. Reports have also surfaced indicating that MANTRA potentially engaged in undisclosed over-the-counter (OTC)