Bitcoin Slides Below $80,000 as Crypto Liquidations Hit $179 Million

Bitcoin and Ether remain key gauges of liquidity and risk appetite in digital-asset markets, with $80,000 and $2,500 serving as closely watched psychological levels. Stronger-than-expected US nonfarm payrolls data raised expectations for higher interest rates, weighing on demand for risk assets. Even so, the two largest cryptocurrencies have maintained a firmer near-term technical setup despite the less supportive macroeconomic backdrop.

Bitcoin held above $80,000 while Ether rebounded past $2,500, as a crypto-market fear gauge continued to ease. Liquidations across the market reached $231 million over the latest 24-hour period, with short positions accounting for most of the total. The imbalance suggests the recovery forced bearish traders to close leveraged positions, reinforcing short-term momentum even as renewed rate concerns continued to restrain broader investor risk appetite.

Bitcoin has been trading in step with risk assets as investors weigh elevated leverage against uncertainty over the US interest-rate outlook. Its consolidation near $77,000 suggests neither buyers nor sellers have established control. Traders are now looking to the next US nonfarm payrolls report for clues on monetary policy, while Ether’s underperformance points to a widening divergence among major cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin remained in a narrow range around $77,000 after US stocks rebounded in the latest session and ended a losing streak, while Ether slipped below $2,400. Crypto liquidations totaled about $286 million over the past 24 hours, with leveraged long positions suffering the larger losses. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index rose to 65, keeping sentiment in the “greed” zone despite continued volatility.

Bitcoin and Ether serve as key gauges of risk appetite across digital-asset markets, with their moves often spilling over into smaller tokens and leveraged derivatives. The latest decline is significant because breaks below closely watched price levels can trigger automated selling and forced liquidations, amplifying losses as traders unwind positions financed with borrowed money.

Bitcoin fell below $78,000 in the latest selloff, while Ether slipped under $2,500. More than $470 million of cryptocurrency futures positions were liquidated across the market over the past 24 hours, with long positions accounting for 77% of the total. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index eased to 68, indicating sentiment remained positive but had become more cautious as prices extended their decline.

Bitcoin held near $78,000 as a rebound in major cryptocurrencies revived risk appetite across digital-asset markets. Ether and Solana advanced alongside the largest token, while stronger US equities and Nvidia’s better-than-expected earnings provided a supportive backdrop for speculative assets. The broad move suggests investors are again adding exposure after recent volatility, though elevated derivatives activity leaves the market vulnerable to sharp price swings.

In the latest reported session, Bitcoin defended the $78,000 threshold and Ether climbed back above $2,500, with Solana and other major tokens also gaining. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index rose to 71, signaling renewed optimism. Total cryptocurrency futures liquidations reached $258 million over 24 hours, with short positions accounting for slightly more losses than longs as the rebound forced bearish traders to close leveraged bets.

Bitcoin recovered toward $78,000 after a sharp pullback, while Ether led a catch-up rally above $2,500, reviving activity across the cryptocurrency market. The abrupt rebound also exposed the risks embedded in leveraged derivatives: rapid price swings can trigger cascading liquidations as exchanges forcibly close positions that no longer meet margin requirements, amplifying both gains and losses.

Crypto liquidations reached $1.46 billion over one 24-hour period, with nearly 190,000 traders forced out of their positions. A later market snapshot still showed about $390 million in liquidations as Bitcoin reclaimed roughly $77,000 and Ether outperformed. The recovery then faltered, with Bitcoin slipping below $78,000 and Ether losing $2,500 following remarks by Warsh on Federal Reserve policy, while the market’s fear gauge continued to rise.

Bitcoin and Ether serve as key gauges of liquidity and risk appetite across digital-asset markets, where heavily leveraged derivatives can amplify abrupt price moves. When falling prices push traders below exchange margin requirements, forced sales may trigger further liquidations and deepen a decline. The scale of the latest unwind underscores the market’s vulnerability to cascading losses when leverage is elevated.

Bitcoin briefly dropped below $77,000 during the flash crash, while Ether fell through the $2,400 threshold. Roughly $500 million of bullish positions were liquidated within one hour, according to the report. Total crypto liquidations exceeded $1.8 billion over the 24 hours through publication, affecting more than 280,000 traders as automated margin closures swept through the market.

Bitcoin and Ether, the crypto market’s two largest risk assets, have become increasingly sensitive to shifts in technology stocks and inflation expectations. Disappointing reactions to earnings from Alphabet and Tesla renewed concern over the returns on heavy artificial-intelligence spending, while Brent crude’s move above $100 a barrel added to inflation worries and pressured demand for volatile assets.

On July 24, 2026, Bitcoin fell 1.66% over 24 hours and touched a low of $64,650, while Ether dropped 3.18% to as little as $1,859. CoinGlass reported $251 million in crypto liquidations, including $189 million in long positions, affecting 81,719 traders. The Fear & Greed Index compiled by alternative.me declined to 28 from 31, remaining in the “fear” range.

Cryptocurrency prices are influenced by dollar liquidity, risk appetite and institutional fund flows. The Federal Reserve's recent hawkish stance, persistent outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs and weakness in U.S. technology stocks have accelerated investors' retreat from risk assets, triggering cascading liquidations in the highly leveraged crypto derivatives market.

On June 23, Bitcoin fell below $62,000, while Ether and a range of altcoins also tumbled. Liquidations reached $714 million over the previous 24 hours, forcing about 144,000 traders out of their positions, with longs suffering the heaviest losses. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index fell to 23, entering the “extreme fear” zone.

Bitcoin and Ether are the crypto market’s two largest assets, and their prices often drive moves in altcoins and derivatives positions. Exchanges forcibly close highly leveraged contracts when their margin becomes insufficient, and cascading liquidations can deepen a decline. Liquidation totals therefore offer a gauge of market risk and investor sentiment.

In the early hours of June 10, 2026, Taipei time, Bitcoin broke below the $63,000 support level and fell through $61,000, while Ether tested $1,600. CoinGlass data showed that more than 120,000 traders were liquidated over 24 hours, with total liquidations reaching $380 million and the largest single order on Binance totaling $8.05 million. By June 25, BTC had fallen below $60,000 again, with liquidations exceeding $650 million and nearly 140,000 traders affected.

Bitcoin and Ether remain highly sensitive to geopolitical shocks, energy prices and swings in US equities, particularly when leveraged positioning is elevated. Escalating tensions in the Middle East weakened demand for risk assets and forced traders to unwind bullish bets, accelerating the broader cryptocurrency retreat. The scale and direction of liquidations offer a key gauge of stress because forced selling can deepen losses even without a major change in crypto-specific fundamentals.

Bitcoin fell as low as $78,200 while Ether held near $2,477, with crypto liquidations initially reaching $252 million over 24 hours. Long positions accounted for about 65% of that total, while the market fear indicator continued to decline. A later report put 24-hour liquidations at $388 million as Bitcoin and Ether extended losses. With oil rising above $100 a barrel and US stocks opening lower, the fear indicator rebounded to 69, signaling renewed caution among traders.