Stablecoins are set to reshape banking by offering a safer, more efficient alternative for deposits.

The post Mike Belshe: Stablecoins are a safer alternative to banks, BitGo’s operational controls are key for crypto market structure, and the future of finance is in asset tokenization | The Wolf Of All Streets appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

AI's rapid growth is reshaping job markets and raising concerns about economic stability.

The post Michael Casey: AI lacks true intent, the industry faces both a bubble and rapid advancements, and the emergence of “proof of control” technology | Unchained appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bithumb's incident highlights the critical need for robust security measures in crypto exchanges to prevent costly errors and maintain trust.

The post Bithumb to reimburse customers after mistakenly distributing $40B in Bitcoin appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The unwinding of Trend Research's ETH position highlights the volatility and risks associated with leveraged crypto investments.

The post Ethereum whale Trend Research unwinds ETH position as losses reach $747M appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Regulatory clarity is essential for stablecoins to thrive and drive crypto adoption in the coming years.

The post Edward Woodford: The crypto industry is overly focused on interest rates, accountability in AI is crucial for trust, and regulatory clarity is essential for market stability | Unchained appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Strategy ($MSTR) Soars 25% as Bitcoin Rebounds

Shares of Strategy ($MSTR) surged sharply Friday, lifting more than 25% at times, trading near $133, after a brutal prior session left the bitcoin‑linked stock deeply oversold. 

The jump comes as markets stabilized and bitcoin rebounded from multi‑week lows to around $71,000, injecting newfound demand into equities tied to digital assets.

Friday’s rally reversed a dramatic sell‑off on Thursday, during which MSTR shares plunged to multi‑year lows on earnings losses and renewed pressure in crypto markets. 

From a macro perspective, Strategy’s stock movement has tracked bitcoin’s sharp swings. As the leading corporate holder of bitcoin, MSTR’s performance is highly correlated with BTC price action. 

Declines in digital assets earlier in the week sent the stock tumbling, with bears pushing Strategy prices as low as the $105 range Thursday. 

Strategy’s earnings losses 

Strategy posted a $12.4 billion loss for the fourth quarter of 2025, largely driven by unrealized declines in the value of its vast bitcoin holdings.

The headline loss dwarfed market expectations and weighed heavily on the share price, contributing to the Thursday slump.

Despite the earnings shortfall, executives remained committed to their long‑term bitcoin strategy. 

Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said that the company is starting a Bitcoin Security Program to coordinate with global cyber and crypto communities, framing quantum computing as a long-term challenge unlikely to threaten Bitcoin for over a decade. 

The company said that quantum fears are the latest form of Bitcoin “FUD,” noting ongoing global investment in quantum-resistant security and potential protocol upgrades through broad consensus.

Strategy’s leadership stressed resilience, saying the company could withstand extreme bitcoin price drops without immediate solvency concerns. 

Executives, like CEO Phong Le, highlighted long-term strategy, ongoing capital raises, and confidence that Bitcoin will emerge stronger from future technological or market challenges.

Le said Bitcoin would need to fall to around $8,000 per coin and stay at that level for five to six years before the company would face serious difficulty servicing its convertible debt.

“In the extreme downside, if we were to have a 90% decline in bitcoin price, and the price was $8,000, that is the point at which our bitcoin reserve equals our net debt,” Le said. He noted that under such conditions, the company could consider restructuring or raising additional capital.

At the time of writing, the price of Bitcoin is $70,040, with a 24-hour trading volume of 157 B. BTC is 7% in the last 24 hours.

It is currently -2% from its 7-day all-time high of $71,258, and 16% from its 7-day all-time low of $60,256. BTC has a circulating supply of 19,985,218 BTC and a max supply of 21,000,000 BTC.

This post Strategy ($MSTR) Soars 25% as Bitcoin Rebounds first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Price Roars Above $71,000 After Days of Sell-Offs

The bitcoin price rebounded sharply Friday after a steep sell-off over the previous 24 hours, climbing briefly climbing above $71,000, a jump of $11,000 from its $60,000 low earlier in the 24-hour session. 

The move came after several turbulent market sessions that saw the flagship cryptocurrency break key psychological support levels in a matter of hours. On Thursday, February 5, the Bitcoin price plunged as global financial markets deteriorated, with major stock indices sliding sharply and pushing investors out of riskier assets. 

The sudden downturn was linked to broader macroeconomic stress, including weak earnings reports and steep declines in technology stocks, which intensified a flight to safety among traders. 

Data compiled Thursday showed Bitcoin’s value dipping to its lowest since late 2024, signaling growing bearish sentiment among market participants. 

The digital asset had retreated more than 40% from its all-time high above $126,000 reached in October 2025, underscoring the severity of the downturn.

Also, as the bitcoin price collapsed yesterday, forced liquidations boomed with over $1 billion in positions wiped out over the past 24 hours, predominantly long bets facing automatic close-outs as BTC broke key levels.

Crypto stocks rebound as Bitcoin price recovers

Despite Thursday’s losses, Bitcoin price’s rebound Friday saw prices climb from the $60,000 region back above the $70,000 mark, reflecting a nearly 15% recovery from intraday lows. 

Crypto-related stocks saw massive gains as well. Strategy ($MSTR) shares were up 21% on the day, while Coinbase ($COIN) and Circle ($CRCL) and Robinhood ($HOOD) shares all jumped 10-15% 

Bitcoin-linked equities also posted sharp gains, led by MARA Holdings (MARA), which climbed 21.03% to $8.14, and TeraWulf (WULF), up 19.55% to $14.25. Riot Platforms (RIOT) rose 16.54% to $14.05, while Cipher Mining (CIFR) added 15.47% to $14.66. 

Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) increased 15.43% to $20.08, and Core Scientific (CORZ) gained 10.43% to $16.36. Neptune Digital Assets (NDA) also advanced, rising 11.43% to $0.78

During the drop, the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), a spot Bitcoin ETF managed by BlackRock that lets investors gain exposure to Bitcoin without holding the crypto directly, crushed its daily volume record with about $10 billion worth of shares traded — even as its price plunged 13%, marking the second‑worst one‑day drop since the fund’s launch.

Currently, bitcoin is trading at $70,661. 

This post Bitcoin Price Roars Above $71,000 After Days of Sell-Offs first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Michael Saylor Says Strategy ($MSTR) Will Lead Global Bitcoin Effort Against Quantum Threats

Strategy’s ($MSTR) Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said on the company’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call that Strategy will initiate a Bitcoin Security Program. The effort is meant to coordinate with the global cyber, crypto, and Bitcoin security community.

In the call, Saylor framed quantum computing as a long-term engineering challenge rather than an immediate danger. He said the technology is likely more than a decade away from posing a serious risk to Bitcoin’s cryptography.

During the call, Strategy displayed a slide titled “Quantum and our Commitment to Bitcoin Security.” It listed quantum concerns as the latest form of Bitcoin “FUD,” alongside past fears the network and Strategy as a whole have endured.

The company outlined its position that many industries, including financial services and defense, still depend on traditional cryptography. It noted that global investment is already flowing into quantum-resistant security research.

Saylor said the Bitcoin community is already engaged in work on quantum-resistant protocols. He added that if Bitcoin ever requires an upgrade, it would come through broad global consensus.

Strategy’s announcement comes during a volatile period for both Bitcoin and crypto-linked equities. The company reported a net loss of roughly $12.4 billion for the quarter, driven by mark-to-market declines in its bitcoin holdings.

Shares of Strategy fell 17% on Thursday, trading as low as $104 during the session.  The stock rebounded today, currently trading up 21%.

Strategy remains the largest corporate holder of bitcoin. The firm has accumulated more than 713,000 BTC under its treasury strategy led by Saylor and CEO Phong Le.

While quantum computing remains in early stages, researchers have warned that advanced machines could eventually challenge the encryption systems used across finance, communications, and blockchain networks.

Saylor argued that Bitcoin will emerge stronger after any future upgrade. He said the network has repeatedly adapted through past technical and regulatory challenges.

Strategy isn’t worried about the bitcoin dip

Executives used the earnings call to address investor concerns about balance sheet pressure during Bitcoin’s downturn.

Le said Bitcoin would need to fall to around $8,000 per coin and stay at that level for five to six years before the company would face serious difficulty servicing its convertible debt.

“In the extreme downside, if we were to have a 90% decline in bitcoin price, and the price was $8,000, that is the point at which our bitcoin reserve equals our net debt,” Le said. He noted that under such conditions, the company could consider restructuring or raising additional capital.

Strategy’s leadership emphasized the long-term nature of its approach. Saylor said the firm is built to withstand sharp quarter-to-quarter swings. The company’s bitcoin reserves remain valued in the tens of billions of dollars despite unrealized losses reported in the quarter.

Strategy has continued raising capital to support further acquisitions. It raised more than $25 billion last year and purchased additional bitcoin in early 2026.

Currently, Bitcoin trades far below its 2025 highs, but the asset is up $10,000 on the day. 

This post Michael Saylor Says Strategy ($MSTR) Will Lead Global Bitcoin Effort Against Quantum Threats first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bithumb Accidentally Sends Large Amounts of Bitcoin to Users, Triggers Price Crash Amid Market Selloff

South Korea-based cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb reportedly made an operational mistake that led to the accidental deposit of large amounts of Bitcoin to user accounts during a promotional event.

The exchange had planned to distribute small cash rewards through a “Random Box” event at around 6 p.m. local time. Winners were supposed to receive between 20,000 and 50,000 Korean won. 

Instead, staff reportedly entered the payment unit as Bitcoin rather than won.

As a result, some users received at least 2,000 BTC each, worth roughly 196 billion won per person based on prices near 98 million won per Bitcoin at the time, according to social media screenshots and accounts. 

Earlier today, Bithumb said it accidentally sent an excess of bitcoin to “some customers.”

Some recipients reportedly sold the mistakenly credited coins, causing temporary price dislocations on the platform. 

Bitcoin on Bithumb reportedly fell more than 10% below broader market levels during the incident.

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to our customers due to the confusion that arose during the payment process for this event,” the exchange said in a statement posted Friday.

Bithumb said it “immediately recognized the abnormal transaction through its internal control system and promptly restricted transactions for the relevant account.”

The exchange did not disclose how much Bitcoin was mistakenly distributed or how many accounts were affected. It said its “domino liquidation prevention system” prevented more severe chain liquidations tied to an “abnormal bitcoin price.”

Bithumb also emphasized that the incident was unrelated to any external hacking or security breach.

“It is understood that this incident did not result in any loss or damage to customer assets,” the company said.

This is a developing story. 

Massive bitcoin price drops on Bithumb

All this alleged activity happened as bitcoin suffered one of its most dramatic selloffs in history Thursday, slicing through key support levels and triggering a wave of forced liquidations. 

Bitcoin Magazine Pro data shows that BTC plunged to $60,000 yesterday, marking the largest raw dollar drawdown ever recorded and leaving the price roughly 50% below its October 2025 all-time high above $126,000. 

The decline now ranks among Bitcoin’s most extreme corrections, surpassing even the selling seen around the FTX collapse as broader risk markets weakened.

The move was intensified by leverage, with more than $1.1 billion in derivatives positions liquidated after support near $70,000 broke and accelerated the slide into the $60,000 range.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading above $69,000. 

This post Bithumb Accidentally Sends Large Amounts of Bitcoin to Users, Triggers Price Crash Amid Market Selloff first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Price Plunges Toward $60,000 as $1 Billion in Liquidations Hit in 24 Hours

Bitcoin price is experiencing one of the most dramatic selloffs in its history Thursday, sliding sharply through key support levels and sparking massive liquidations in the derivatives market. 

According to Bitcoin Magazine Pro data, the world’s largest cryptocurrency crashed through critical floors, dipping towards the $62,000 floor, marking the largest raw dollar drawdown ever recorded for BTC.

The October 2025 all-time high above $126,000 now sits roughly $63,000 above current bitcoin price levels, as panicked selling intensified across exchanges. 

This drawdown is now 50% from all-time highs and places it alongside some of Bitcoin’s most extreme historical corrections, even greater than the selling that took place around the FTX crash.

Bitcoin price’s sustained downtrend has erased nearly half of its peak value, while broader risk assets have weakened amid global market stress and shifting macro sentiment.

Over $1.1 billion of forced liquidations in the last day

The severity of the move was amplified by leveraged derivatives. 

As the bitcoin price collapses, forced liquidations are surging, with over $1 billion in positions wiped out over the past 24 hours, predominantly long bets facing automatic close-outs as BTC broke key levels, according to Coinglass data. 

Traders who entered positions on recent strength were hit as support near $70,000 failed to hold earlier today, feeding a feedback loop of deleveraging that pushed price deeper into the $60,000 range.

Bitcoin price support zones

BTC’s breakdown comes after an initial retracement from levels above $90,000 just eight days ago. Bitcoin price is now down nearly 35% over the past 12 months and about 50% below its October peak, according to Bitcoin Magazine Pro data.

Thursday’s plunge also saw the asset breach multiple support zones, with volatility spiking as BTC’s structure shifted decisively bearish. Indicators suggest there are limited stops before the sub-$60,000s.

Crypto-linked stocks were hammered Thursday as Bitcoin’s sharp selloff spilled into equity markets. Shares of major miners such as Riot Platforms and MARA Holdings plunged in double-digit declines as bitcoin.

Crypto-exposed firms like Coinbase and Robinhood also fell into the double digits.The broader market downturn added pressure, with tech and other high-beta assets selling off alongside digital assets.

The iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), a spot Bitcoin ETF managed by BlackRock that lets investors gain exposure to Bitcoin without holding the crypto directly, just crushed its daily volume record with about $10 billion worth of shares traded — even as its price plunged 13%, marking the second‑worst one‑day drop since the fund’s launch.

Shares of Strategy ($MSTR) are down over 15% today, with earnings coming later tonight. At the time of writing, bitcoin is trading right below $64,000.

This post Bitcoin Price Plunges Toward $60,000 as $1 Billion in Liquidations Hit in 24 Hours first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

The crypto market that surged on Donald Trump’s campaign promise of a friendlier US posture is now back near where it started, after an 18-month round trip that added close to $2 trillion in value and then erased roughly the same amount.

Data compiled by CryptoSlate put the total crypto market value at about $2.4 trillion in October 2024, weeks before the US election.

By November 2024, the market had pushed toward $3.2 trillion as traders priced in a “policy premium,” the expectation that a pro-crypto White House would mean lighter enforcement pressure, clearer rules, and broader access for both retail and institutional investors.

By early October 2025, the market peaked at $4.379 trillion.

As of press time, CryptoSlate's market cap page showed the global market at about $2.37 trillion after a steep selloff.

Bitcoin, the sector’s bellwether, briefly fell to around $60,000 this week before recovering to about $65,894. Ethereum, the second-largest crypto asset, traded near $1,921 after sliding close to $1,752 earlier in the week.

A pro-crypto pivot in the office

After Trump took office, the administration moved quickly to signal a reset, but those steps proved to be a shift in tone, not an instant fix.

In late January 2025, Trump ordered the creation of a cryptocurrency working group to draft a regulatory framework for digital assets and to evaluate a potential national digital asset stockpile.

The order also targeted a US central bank digital currency, reflecting early emphasis on limiting federal involvement in retail digital money while expanding room for private-sector tokens.

Banking policy also moved. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rescinded Staff Accounting Bulletin 121, guidance that the crypto and banking industries had argued raised the cost of custodying customer crypto assets.

In March 2025, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued Interpretive Letter 1183, reaffirming that national banks may provide crypto-asset custody.

This allowed these institutions to participate in certain stablecoin activities and engage with distributed ledger networks, removing a prior requirement for supervisory nonobjection before proceeding.

At the same time, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) rescinded a 2022 notification requirement for FDIC-supervised institutions and clarified that banks may engage in permissible crypto-related activities without prior FDIC approval.

By April 2025, the Federal Reserve withdrew certain guidance on bank crypto-asset and dollar token activities, including rescinding a 2023 supervisory letter that established a nonobjection process for such activities.

Notably, the FDIC and the Fed also withdrew two joint statements on banking organizations’ crypto-asset-related activities.

Meanwhile, a central legislative milestone arrived with stablecoins, the dollar-pegged tokens used widely as settlement rails across crypto markets.

Congress passed, and Trump signed into law, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (the GENIUS Act) on July 18, 2025.

The law established a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, defined categories of permitted issuers, and set requirements and oversight for stablecoin issuance.

Interestingly, stablecoins were not the only target of the Trump administration.

The US House passed the industry-backed CLARITY Act in July 2025, a market-structure bill aimed at creating a clearer federal framework for digital assets and expanding the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) oversight.

All of these developments helped create an environment in which Bitcoin and the crypto industry thrive.

As a result, BTC's value reached a new all-time high of more than $126,000, and the broader crypto industry market cap peaked at over $4 trillion.

From peak to retracement, as leverage and flows turned

Since the crypto industry peaked, the market has shed about $2 trillion, with more than $1 trillion lost in the past month.

Market participants and analysts have largely described the latest leg down as a mechanical unwind rather than a repricing of a single headline.

Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise, argued that the drawdown should be read as a pileup of forces, not a single culprit. According to him, markets are complex, and pullbacks are usually the result of multiple factors acting in concert.

Considering this, Hougan’s starting point was cyclical, not political. He said long-term investors have been selling to front-run what many expect from crypto’s four-year pattern, three big up years followed by a down year.

The dynamic can become self-fulfilling, he said, because investors who fear the cycle will repeat may decide to take gains early rather than hold through a potential pullback.

While he acknowledged that measurement is imperfect, Hougan estimated that those investors sold well over $100 billion in Bitcoin last year.

At the same time, he described a fading of retail-style “attention” flows that often prop up speculative corners of markets in good times.

Crypto, in his view, has faced stiffer competition for the spotlight, with AI stocks and, more recently, precious metals drawing capital that might otherwise have rotated into the most volatile digital assets.

While those investors can return, they are currently a source of demand that has partially stepped back from the industry.

Meanwhile, Hougan also pointed to how leverage turned this downshift into a cliff. He cited the Oct. 10 $20 billion liquidation episode, which is the largest leveraged blowout in crypto’s history.

According to him, this was caused by Trump's surprise announcement of a 100% tariff on all Chinese goods at 5:30 p.m. ET on a Friday, when many traditional markets were closed, and by traders using crypto to hedge risk.

This caused a marketwide sell-off that the crypto market has yet to recover from.

At the same time, Washington's broader policies and the macro backdrop have impacted Bitcoin.

Hougan cited Trump’s Jan. 30 nomination of Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, a pick he said was viewed as hawkish.

He also flagged a separate source of hesitation within Bitcoin itself, with rising concern among some advocates that the community is not moving fast enough to address the future risk posed by quantum computing.

Hougan said quantum is a long-term risk and a solvable problem, but he argued that until the development community takes concrete steps, a portion of long-term capital will remain cautious.

Finally, he said the pullback has been reinforced by broad risk-off sentiment, pointing to a session in which BTC fell alongside sharp declines in gold and silver, with large technology stocks also down significantly.

In that environment, crypto still behaves like a high-beta proxy for risk appetite, becoming vulnerable when portfolios de-gross.

Who are the winners in the boom and casualties of the bust?

The boom phase rewarded the core plumbing of crypto, businesses that monetize activity when prices and trading volumes rise.

Exchanges and derivatives venues benefited as speculation returned. CoinGecko’s 2025 annual report estimated that centralized exchanges processed $86.2 trillion in perpetual futures volume in 2025, while decentralized perpetuals hit $6.7 trillion.

In a boom, that structure operates like a toll road, with greater volatility bringing higher fees and more liquidations.

Stablecoin issuers also emerged as winners, as they are expected to continue growing even when token prices decline. This is because traders and institutions still need dollar-denominated rails to move cash, settle trades, and park funds during volatility.

In fact, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent believes these assets will become a crucial buyer of US Treasuries in the coming years as they continue to rapidly expand.

Meanwhile, the bust phase has been harsher on businesses with embedded financial leverage and retail investors exposed to the industry.

Public companies that stockpiled BTC and other tokens as a strategy became a focal point as prices fell.

Shares of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), the bellwether of the corporate Bitcoin trade, fell from $457 in July 2025 to as low as $111.27 on Thursday, the lowest since August 2024.

Strategy held 713,502 bitcoin at an average cost of $76,052 per coin and posted a $12.4 billion quarterly loss as bitcoin’s decline forced a repricing of its crypto-heavy balance sheet.

Other listed buyers also fell, including the UK’s Smarter Web Company, Nakamoto Inc., and Japan’s Metaplanet, alongside firms tied to Ethereum and Solana strategies and a company that said it would stockpile a Trump-family token.

That dynamic captures the core contradiction of the cycle.

Trump’s pro-crypto posture helped anchor the post-election bid and validated parts of the political thesis through early executive actions, shifts in banking guidance, and a stablecoin law.

But the market’s surge also accelerated the structures that made crypto more sensitive to macroeconomic conditions, ETF flows, and leverage-driven bubbles. So, when those forces turned, the same “policy premium” that lifted valuations proved easy to unprice.

The post Trump’s crypto “golden age” throws away $2 trillion in profits, leaving those holding dollars as winners appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin’s hard cap is easy to understand: there will only ever be 21 million coins.

What's hard to understand is that the marginal market is allowed to trade far more than 21 million coins worth of exposure, because most of that exposure is synthetic and cash-settled, and it can be created or reduced in seconds.

That distinction has become Bitcoin's core paradox in the past year or so.

Scarcity is a property of the asset, while price is a property of the market microstructure that dominates the next aggressive order. When derivatives volume and leveraged positioning become the dominant arena, Bitcoin can trade like an asset with a tight supply and, at the same time, like an asset with effectively elastic exposure.

21 million coins, but a much larger marginal market

Spot is the only venue where a trade necessarily moves actual BTC from one owner to another.

Perpetual and dated futures don't mint coins, but they do create a second market that can become larger, faster, and more reflexive than spot. Perps are designed to track spot through a funding mechanism and can be traded with leverage, which means a relatively small amount of collateral can control a much larger notional position. That combination tends to pull activity into derivatives when traders want speed, leverage, shorting ability, and capital efficiency.

Price discovery is simply where the next meaningful market order lands. If most urgency lives in perps, then the path of least resistance is set there, even if long-term holders never touch leverage and even if the underlying supply is fixed. In that regime, moves are frequently driven by changes in positioning: liquidations, forced de-risking, hedging flows, and the rapid repricing of leverage. Those flows can overwhelm the much slower process of spot accumulation, because the marginal actor isn't choosing whether to buy coins but whether to add or reduce exposure.

This is also why visible order book support is a weaker concept than it looks on a chart. Displayed bids can be real, but they're conditional. They can be pulled, layered, refreshed, or simply outpaced by the volume coming from the larger derivatives complex. Order books are records of resting intent, not execution guarantees.

What the data shows

The Binance BTC/USDT perpetual futures versus spot volume ratio is the cleanest starting point because it quantifies where activity is concentrated.

On Feb. 3, the perpetual-to-spot volume ratio read 7.87, with $23.51 billion in perpetual volume against $2.99 billion in spot while BTC traded around $75,770. On Feb. 5, the ratio was still 6.12, with $15.97 billion in perps volume against $2.61 billion in spot, and the price near $69,700.

The ratios matter because they're not a minor skew; they describe a market where the dominant source of turnover is a leveraged, shortable venue. In that setup, the next tick is more likely to be set by the repricing of exposure than by incremental spot buying.

The aggregated order book liquidity delta adds a second layer: not just where volume traded, but where liquidity accumulated near price. CoinGlass defines depth delta as the imbalance between bids and asks within a specified range, here ±1% around the current price, which is a way to summarize whether the visible book is bid-heavy or offer-heavy.

The biggest footprint appears on the derivatives side right as the market was entering the drawdown window. Futures liquidity delta printed +$297.75 million on Jan. 31 at 14:00 with BTC around $82,767. Spot later showed +$95.32 million at 18:00 around $78,893. Even by Feb. 5 at 14:00, spot delta still showed +$36.66 million with BTC near $69,486.

This data shows a market where spot bids existed and, in some moments, grew, but price still kept sliding. Once you accept the hierarchy where derivatives are the dominant class, this stops being a contradiction. Displayed liquidity near spot can improve while the larger derivatives venue continues to force repricing through leverage reduction, short pressure, or hedging. When perps dominate turnover, the marginal seller isn't a real person that's lost conviction, it's just a manager managing positions.

Now add the third channel that investors tend to treat as the definitive spot proxy: US spot Bitcoin ETFs. The flow sequence we've seen in last week looks like a tug-of-war rather than a steering wheel aimed at the cliff.

Heavy outflows hit on Jan. 21 at about -$708.7 million, then Jan. 29 at about -$817.8 million, then Jan. 30 at about -$509.7 million. Feb. 2 flipped sharply positive at about +$561.8 million, then reverted to -$272.0 million on Feb. 3 and -$544.9 million on Feb. 4.

Public flow tallies like these are widely tracked through aggregators such as Farside and are frequently referenced in market coverage, but they fail map one-for-one to intraday price when the derivatives venue is setting the marginal trade.

It's also worth being precise about what an ETF flow is and is not. Creations and redemptions are executed through authorized participants. Depending on the product and regulatory permissions, those processes can be cash-based or in-kind, which changes how directly ETF activity translates into spot market transactions in BTC.

In mid-2025, the SEC approved orders permitting in-kind creations and redemptions for crypto ETPs, which is specifically about allowing authorized participants to create or redeem shares using the underlying crypto rather than only cash, bringing the operational structure closer to other commodity ETPs. (SEC) Even with that structure, ETF flows still sit alongside derivatives positioning, dealer hedging, and exchange liquidity, which can dominate short-horizon price formation.

Finally, exchange reserve data anchors this abstract data into something more tangible: the amount of BTC sitting on exchanges, which is a proxy for immediately tradable inventory.

From Jan. 15 to Feb. 5, all-exchange BTC reserves rose by 29,048 BTC, a 1.067% increase, reaching just over 2.75 million BTC.

This matters because it separates two ideas that are often blended together.

Bitcoin can be scarce in total supply and still feel well supplied at the point of transaction if exchange inventory rises into a risk-off window. ETF inflows can be positive and yet the tradable float can expand via deposits, treasury moves, or repositioning by large holders. And even if the tradable float tightens, derivatives can still amplify volatility because exposure can be added or removed faster than coins can move.

A scarcity model that matches how Bitcoin trades

A useful way to reconcile all of this is to treat Bitcoin scarcity as a stack of time horizons rather than a single number.

At the slowest layer is protocol supply, which is fixed by design. That's the layer the 21 million cap describes.

At the middle layer is the tradable float, which is what can realistically hit the market without friction. Exchange reserves aren't the best proxy for this, but they're directionally useful because they measure coins that are already sitting on a platform built for rapid transaction.

At the fast layer is the synthetic exposure: perps, dated futures, and options. This layer can expand or contract extremely quickly because it's constrained by collateral and risk limits, not by coin movement. When activity concentrates here, a large share of the market is expressing views through leverage and hedges, not through coin acquisition.

At the final layer is the marginal trade itself: the next forced buy or sell that clears through the most active venue. The perpetual-to-spot volume ratios that have been sitting between roughly 6 and 8, combined with the larger liquidity delta prints on futures, show a market where that marginal trade was happening in derivatives, not in spot.

That framing tells us that scarcity is real, but it doesn't guarantee day-to-day tightness. The market can trade scarce assets through abundant exposure, and the venue with the most urgent flow tends to set the next price.

That's why we need to treat ETF flows, exchange reserves, and derivatives dominance as three separate lenses that can disagree in the short run. When they line up, moves tend to be cleaner. When they diverge, you can see exactly what the charts show: bids appear, narratives whip around, and price still bleeds because the marginal market is elsewhere.

The post Binance trading data reveals why Bitcoin prices are sliding even as spot buyers flood the market with bids appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Trader Plan C recently surfaced a chart indicating a production-cost model placing Bitcoin's marginal mining expense at approximately $67,000, with historical price action showing repeated bounces off that red line.

He added that “commodities rarely trade below their cost of production.” The hook is clean, the logic is intuitive, but the reality beneath Bitcoin's latest volatility is messier and more instructive than any single line can capture.

Bitcoin printed an intraday low near $60,000 on Feb. 6 before clawing back to fight around the $70,000 level as of press time, slicing through the widely watched $63,000 threshold that had anchored recent bottom-calling narratives.

However, the questions of whether the market is transitioning from forced deleveraging into genuine spot-led price discovery and what confluence of signals would confirm that shift remained.

Four zones that matter

Rather than seeking a single magic number, analysts are combining several frameworks into a demand ladder. Each rung represents a different valuation anchor, and together they map where buying pressure might actually materialize.

Zone A ranges from $70,600 to $66,900. Glassnode identifies this as a dense cost-basis cluster using its UTXO Realized Price Distribution model, indicating a high concentration of coins last moved in this price range.

After Bitcoin lost its True Market Mean around $80,200, this cluster became the nearest on-chain absorption zone.

Glassnode cautions that spot volumes remain structurally weak, meaning any relief rally risks being corrective noise unless real spot demand returns.

The implication: bounces off this zone, driven purely by leverage flush, won't stick.

Zone B centers on $63,000 and is significant from a behavioral rather than an on-chain perspective.

Galaxy Digital's research arm notes that a 50% drawdown from Bitcoin's October 2025 all-time high near $126,296 lands almost exactly at $63,000, forming a clean, round-trip threshold that mirrors prior bear-market capitulation points.

The sweep below $63,000 can be read two ways: either support broke, or the market executed a classic capitulation probe before finding genuine demand.

Which interpretation proves correct depends on what happens next with flows and derivatives.

Zone C spans $58,000 to $56,000, where two major cycle-bottom anchors converge.

Galaxy explicitly identifies the 200-week moving average at approximately $58,000 and the Realized Price near $56,000 as levels that have historically marked durable cycle floors.

Glassnode independently places Realized Price at approximately $55,800. Both frameworks agree: if the current rebound fails and BTC drifts lower, this is the magnet zone where long-term capital has traditionally re-engaged.

Zone D introduces production-cost models, and this is where Plan C's chart lives, but only as one estimate among several.

Other models place the average production cost around $87,000, implying that spot has been trading materially below that estimate and putting miners under stress.

Meanwhile, the difficulty-per-issuance model Plan C amplified pegs the cost proxy in the high $60,000s. The nuance matters: “commodities don't trade below cost” is directionally useful but not a hard floor for Bitcoin.

Miners can operate at a loss in the short term by selling treasuries, deploying hedges, or simply hashing through the pain until the difficulty adjusts downward and lowers marginal cost.

Production cost functions less as guaranteed support and more as a stress gauge that catalyzes supply responses, such as miner capitulation or treasury liquidation, before equilibrium resets.

What rebound confirmation actually looks like

Declaring a local bottom demands more than holding a level. The best signals span derivatives, on-chain stress, institutional flows, and mining dynamics.

Derivatives markets are screaming fear. Deribit data show a 25-delta risk-reversal skew of approximately -13%, an inverted implied-volatility term structure, and negative funding rates. These are classic protection-bid conditions.

A rebound gains credibility when skew backs off from extreme negatives, IV normalizes, and funding flips sustainably positive.

On-chain realized losses remain elevated. Glassnode reports the seven-day moving average above $1.26 billion per day, consistent with forced deleveraging.

A bullish shift would see realized losses peak and begin to decline while price stabilizes within the $66,900-$70,600 range, indicating seller exhaustion rather than a temporary pause.

Institutional flows are a headwind. Farside Investors' data shows nearly $690 million in monthly net outflows as of Feb. 5, adding to the $1.6 billion in net outflows registered in January.

Flow reversals don't need to turn dramatically positive, as even deceleration to flat would matter in a thin-liquidity environment where allocators drove much of the prior rally.

Mining stress is reaching an inflection. TheMinerMag noted that the hash price fell below $32 per petahash per second, with difficulty projected to drop by approximately 13.37% at the next adjustment.

That relief could stabilize hashrate and ease miner sell pressure, but only if the price holds long enough for the adjustment to take effect.

Three forward scenarios

The first potential scenario is the formation of a local bottom. Support ranges from $66,900 to $70,600 as the on-chain cluster absorbs supply. Derivatives normalize, flows stop bleeding, and realized losses cool.

Upside would first target reclaiming the True Market Mean around $80,200 before facing overhead supply from underwater holders.

The second scenario consists of a choppy drift lower. Galaxy sees a meaningful probability that BTC ranges near $70,000 before testing the $56,000-$58,000 zone in the coming weeks or months.

This fits a market where leverage has flushed, but spot demand remains absent, which is Glassnode's central warning. Volatility persists, and relief rallies fail to sustain themselves.

The last scenario is a deeper capitulation. Another leg of forced selling, potentially triggered by continued ETF outflows or macro risk repricing, pulls BTC through the current zones.

Here, $56,000- $58,000 is less a target and more the level at which long-term capital has historically stepped in with conviction.

The real transition

The core narrative is whether Bitcoin is shifting from leverage-driven pricing back to spot-led price discovery.

Glassnode frames the market as vulnerable until spot participation returns, and that participation won't materialize from derivatives normalization alone. Production-cost models offer a useful lens on miner economics, but they describe a supply-response mechanism rather than a price floor.

The commodity comparison breaks down when difficulty can adjust, and miners can finance operations through drawdowns.

ETF behavior now carries macro weight. Flows are large enough that capitulation increasingly manifests as regime shifts in allocator sentiment rather than just funding rate flips on offshore exchanges.

The January outflows weren't retail panic, but rather institutional de-risking, and reversing that requires catalysts beyond technical bounces.

Bitcoin reclaimed much of the ground lost in the washout, but turning those levels into sustained demand is a different process.

The data provide a ladder of zones where demand could emerge, a checklist of confirming signals, and a reminder that production cost is the primary stress indicator rather than a floor.

Whether $60,297 marks a capitulation low or just another step in a deeper correction depends on what happens next with flows, derivatives, and the willingness of spot buyers to step in amid persistent fear.

The post Bitcoin now at a price level it has always defended and the current $67,000 BTC mining cost matters appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin ripped from $60,000 to above $70,000 in less than 24 hours, erasing most of a brutal 14% drawdown that had tested every bottom-calling thesis in the market.

The speed of the reversal, 12% in a single session and 17% off the intraday low, was violent enough to feel like a capitulation resolved. Yet, the mechanics beneath the bounce tell a different story: this was cross-asset stabilization meeting forced-position rebalancing, not a flood of conviction-driven spot demand.

And the derivatives market, still crowded into downside protection, is pricing the possibility that $70,000 becomes a pause rather than a floor.

Forced unwinds met macro stress

Feb. 5 opened near $73,100, traded briefly higher, then collapsed to $62,600 by close, a one-day decline that liquidated approximately $1 billion in leveraged Bitcoin positions, according to CoinGlass data.

That figure alone captures the forced-selling cascade, but the broader picture was worse.

Open interest in BTC futures fell from roughly $61 billion to $49 billion over the prior week, according to CoinGlass, meaning the market had already been shedding leverage when the final flush hit.

The trigger wasn't crypto-specific. Reports framed the selloff as a weakening of risk sentiment, driven by tech-stock selling and a volatility shock in precious metals, with silver declining by as much as 18% to around $72.21, dragging down correlated risk assets.

Deribit research confirmed the spillover, noting that derivatives sentiment turned extremely bearish, with funding rates negative, inverted implied volatility term structures, and a 25-delta risk-reversal skew crushed to approximately -13%.

These are classic “crowded fear” conditions in which positioning amplifies price moves in both directions.

A policy narrative added fuel. Reuters reported market reaction to President Donald Trump's selection of Kevin Warsh for Federal Reserve chair, with traders interpreting the choice as signaling balance-sheet contraction and tighter liquidity conditions ahead.

Meanwhile, miners faced acute margin pressure. TheMinerMag reported that hash price fell below $32 per petahash per second, with network difficulty projected to drop roughly 13.37% within two days. This relief valve wouldn't arrive until after the price had already broken support.

Macro reversal plus squeeze mechanics

Feb. 6 opened where Feb. 5 closed, dropped to an intraday low near $60,000, then ripped to a high around $71,422, which it failed to breach three times before dropping back below $70,000.

The catalyst wasn't internal to crypto, but a sharp reversal in the cross-asset tape. Wall Street surged: the S&P 500 up 1.97%, Nasdaq up 2.18%, Dow up 2.47%, and the SOX semiconductor index up 5.7%.

Metals snapped back hard, with gold up 3.9% and silver up 8.6%, while the dollar index fell 0.2%, signaling a looser financial conditions impulse.

Bitcoin moved mechanically with that shift. The correlation isn't subtle: when tech stabilizes and metals rebound, BTC gets pulled along via shared risk exposure.

However, the violence of the snapback also reflects the derivatives' positioning. Skew near -13%, negative funding, and inverted volatility structures create conditions where any macro relief can trigger short-covering and forced rebalancing.

The rebound was driven by a liquidity event, amplified by the unwinding of crowded short positions.

Nevertheless, the forward-looking signal remains bearish. Derive data showing heavy put open interest concentrated at $60,000-$50,000 strike prices for the Feb. 27 expiry.

Derive's Sean Dawson told Reuters that the downside demand is “extreme.” That's not hindsight analysis, but traders explicitly hedging for another leg lower, even after the bounce.

Can $70k hold? The framework

The case for holding above $70,000 rests on three conditions.

First, the macroeconomic rebound needs to persist, with technology continuing to stabilize, yields not re-tightening, and the dollar not re-tightening.

The bounce was explicitly cross-asset. If equities roll over again, BTC won't decouple.

Second, leverage needs to continue to cool without fresh forced selling. Open interest has already dropped hard, reducing air-pocket risk.

Third, miner stress needs real relief when the difficulty adjustment lands.

If price holds within that window, the projected 13.37% drop could reduce marginal selling pressure and allow hashrate to stabilize.

The case for another shakeout has three legs.

First, options positioning remains skewed toward the downside. The largest put concentration is at $60,000-$50,000 in late February, a forward-looking signal embedded in market-implied probabilities rather than backward-looking sentiment.

Second, derivatives signals remain fragile. Skew near extremes, recently negative funding, and inverted volatility structures are consistent with a relief rally inside a fear regime rather than a trend reversal.

Third, ETF flow data show persistent outflows. Bitcoin ETFs registered $690 million in monthly net outflows as of Feb. 5.

Although the Feb. 6 results are not yet available, the pattern suggests institutional allocators haven't shifted from de-risking to re-engagement.

What $70k actually means

The level itself isn't magical. The significance lies in its position above Glassnode's identified on-chain absorption cluster between $66,900 and $70,600.

Holding above $70,000 would suggest that the cluster absorbed enough supply to stabilize price action, at least temporarily. Yet, holding requires more than technical support. It requires spot demand returning while derivatives hedging unwinds and institutional flows stabilize.

The rebound off $60,000 was real, but its composition matters. Cross-asset stabilization can reverse if macro conditions shift.

Forced-position unwinding creates mechanical bounces that don't necessarily translate into sustained trends. And options traders are still pricing a meaningful probability of a move toward $50,000-$60,000 over the next three weeks.

Bitcoin reclaimed $70,000, but it is already consolidating below that level, suggesting a pause before another test in which three conditions must occur sequentially: macro risk appetite holding, ETF outflows decelerating or reversing, and derivatives sentiment normalizing beyond short-term relief.

The market delivered a violent snapback, but the forward curve and flow data suggest traders aren't yet betting on durability. The $70,000 level isn't the endgame, it's just the level where the next phase of the argument gets decided.

The post Bitcoin rocketed up 15% to get back above $70,000 but the options market is currently pricing in a terrifying new floor appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin experienced a steep decline over the last 24 hours, pushing its price to approximately $60,000 amid an accelerated selloff comparable to the 2022 FTX collapse.

BTC had recovered to $69,800 as of press time, according to CryptoSlate data.

Still, Glassnode data helped frame the extent to which the price had slipped relative to widely watched on-chain reference points.

With the spot price plunging, the key on-chain price models were far higher, including the STH cost basis at $94,000, the Active Investors Mean at $86,800, and the True Market Mean at $80,100.

Meanwhile, the flagship digital asset's realized price sat at $55,600.

In light of this, the price move prompted traders to search for a single “smoking gun,” even as the available evidence pointed to a more mechanical unwind.

X fills the gap with theories, but little evidence

As Bitcoin prices fell rapidly, social media became a clearinghouse for speculation, with narratives moving almost as fast as the price.

Traders on X floated multiple explanations for the slide, including rumors of a hidden Hong Kong hedge fund blowup, yen-funding stress, and even quantum security fears.

Related Reading

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Oct 23, 2025 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

However, those claims share a common problem: they are difficult to verify in real time, and none has been accompanied by publicly documented evidence that would, on its own, explain the size and timing of the move.

That does not mean every rumor is false, but the pattern is familiar in fast-moving markets. A sharp liquidation event creates a narrative vacuum, and the internet attempts to fill it, often before the underlying drivers can be measured with any clarity.

In light of this, CryptoSlate's more durable explanation for the past 24 hours lies in observable plumbing, ETF flow pressure, forced leveraged positions, and on-chain data showing large holders moving coins onto exchanges.

It is less cinematic than a single-surprise catalyst, but it better matches how crypto selloffs tend to propagate once they begin.

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Bitcoin triggers $7B loss for ETF holders as price could drop to $65,000 while Strategy (MSTR) sits on billion dollar cushion

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Feb 2, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

ETF outflows and a liquidation cascade hit the bid

The cleanest, most measurable headwind has been persistent selling via US spot Bitcoin ETFs.

Over the past four months, spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen net outflows of more than $6 billion, according to SoSo Value data.

In practice, such sustained withdrawal matters because it changes who is standing on the other side of the trade. When inflows are strong, the market can lean on a steady, price-insensitive buyer. When outflows persist, that support becomes intermittent, and dips can feel like they have fewer natural bids.

James Seyffart, a Bloomberg ETF analyst, noted that Bitcoin ETF holders, in aggregate, are holding their largest losses since the ETFs launched in January 2024, following Bitcoin’s price collapse.

He added that the ETFs are experiencing the worst Bitcoin pullback in percentage terms since launch, now at approximately a 42% loss with Bitcoin under $73,000.

Those figures are not a one-day trigger, but they change the market structure. In a market accustomed to steady ETF demand, sustained outflows reduce the size of the “automatic dip buyer,” making downside breaks more violent when stops and liquidations begin to fire.

The selling does not need to be dramatic to matter; it simply needs to be persistent enough to dull rebounds and thin liquidity at key levels.

And once the Bitcoin price fell through key levels, forced selling amplified the move. CoinGlass data showed that more than $1.2 billion in leveraged positions were liquidated as Bitcoin sank to record lows.

This represented a dynamic that can turn discretionary selling into a mechanical cascade.

That sequence is typical in crypto drawdowns. A selloff often begins with risk reduction, then accelerates when exchanges close derivatives positions, regardless of conviction or “fundamentals.”

When liquidity is thin, the forced flow can dominate price discovery. It can also make the tape appear to react to hidden information, when the more straightforward explanation is that leverage is being shut down quickly and automatically.

Related Reading

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Feb 5, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

On-chain signals show realized losses and whale deposits

Meanwhile, blockchain data added a second layer to the story, showing both pain realization and potential supply moving toward venues where it can be sold or hedged.

Glassnode data showed that on Feb. 4, Bitcoin’s Entity-Adjusted Realized Loss (7D-SMA) hit $889 million per day, the highest daily loss realization since November 2022.

This kind of print typically appears when coins are being sold at a loss at scale, consistent with capitulation dynamics during sharp drawdowns.

This is a reminder that the damage in a selloff is not only the headline price move, but also the volume of holders locking in losses as the market trades through levels that had previously served as psychological support.

On the other hand, CryptoQuant data pointed to whale behavior on Binance during the sell-off.

According to the firm, the Exchange Whale Ratio (30-day SMA) surged to 0.447, its highest level since March 2025.

An elevated whale ratio indicates that the largest inflows make up an unusually large share of deposits, a pattern often associated with whales preparing to sell, hedge, or reposition.

Additional CryptoQuant data quantified the scale of those deposits. It reported that total Bitcoin inflows to Binance were approximately 78,500 BTC in early February, with whale inflows of approximately 38,100 BTC, implying that whales accounted for roughly 48.5% of deposits.

Meanwhile, the above data does not guarantee immediate selling. Large deposits can also precede derivatives hedging, collateral moves, or internal treasury reshuffles.

However, in the context of a rapid price break and a liquidation cascade, this reinforces the idea that large players were active on the supply side as liquidity deteriorated. Even the possibility of supply moving toward an exchange can weigh on sentiment when the market is already fragile.

Moreover, Santiment data also framed the move as a distribution event among large holders.

According to Santiment, wallets holding 10 to 10,000 BTC fell to a nine-month low of 68.04% of total supply after a net reduction of 81,068 BTC over eight days, while “shrimp” wallets holding less than 0.01 BTC rose to a 20-month high of 0.249% of supply.

Taken together, the on-chain picture is consistent with what the tape showed: large holders were active, loss-taking spiked, and smaller buyers were not enough to prevent an air pocket once leverage began to unwind.

Retail accumulation can slow a decline at the margin, but it rarely overpowers a market being pushed around by leverage resets and large-holder positioning.

Macro risk-off and cross-asset deleveraging tightened liquidity

The final leg of the explanation is macro, because Bitcoin has increasingly traded as a liquidity-sensitive risk asset during periods of stress.

Reuters linked the broader market mood to an unwind of leveraged and speculative positioning across multiple assets, including crypto, as investors retreated from risk.

At the same time, there was a sharp decline in commodities, including gold and silver, during the same window, underscoring that the pressure was not isolated to crypto.

When both speculative assets and traditionally “defensive” positions are being sold, liquidity can tighten quickly, particularly if margin requirements rise and funds reduce exposure across portfolios.

US equities also contributed to the risk-off tone. Reuters coverage over the week described a tech-led pullback as investors questioned the payoff timeline for heavy AI spending and debated whether AI disruption could compress margins across software and data services.

Moreover, fresh labor-market stress signals, including January layoff announcements, which are the highest for the month in 17 years, can feed into a broader repricing of growth and risk.

That matters for Bitcoin because macro-driven de-risking tends to hit the most liquid, most reflexive markets first.

In this episode, the price action fit that template. ETF outflows weakened the marginal bid, a break in spot prices triggered derivative liquidations, and on-chain data showed loss realization and whale deposits rising amid volatility.

The result was a move that looked like a “black swan” on a chart, but behaved like a liquidity event in the plumbing.

The post Bitcoin whales are dumping massive amounts of supply on exchanges as liquidations mirror the 2022 FTX market collapse appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The Justice Department's release of millions of files related to Jeffrey Epstein has unearthed some wild Bitcoin and crypto stories.

The error was quickly corrected, Bithumb said, but not before some users sold off their Bitcoin, temporarily crashing its listed price.

Japan heads to polls as crypto industry watches tax reform, stablecoin rules, and legal reclassification timelines.

Back when NFTs were hot, Justin Bieber dropped $1.3 million to join the Bored Ape Yacht Club. The Ethereum NFTs now start at just $12K.

The White House is betting that a new cash-pay platform—built around blockbuster GLP-1 drugs—can pressure Big Pharma and bypass the middlemen who keep U.S. prices high.

This trend was noticed earlier with a total of 25,014,695 RLUSD burned on a separate day this week.

Binance's CZ says Binance is making the stablecoin to Bitcoin conversion for its SAFU funds at the perfect time despite recent market volatility.

This week's top stories: Ripple joins White House crypto summit; Musk promises DOGE to the Moon; Brandt flags BTC market manipulation, CZ denies it; Buterin is selling his ETH holdings.

Millions of Dogecoin hit Robinhood as the market awaits the next move.

Dogecoin is in the spotlight as major indicators like Bollinger Bands hint the downtrend is almost over.

New crypto presales release every week, but what truly sets apart the heroes? If we’ve learned anything from 2025, traders find value in real-life utility, spotlighting projects like IPO Genie, Ruvi AI, and Nexchain as standout choices in Q1 2026.

IPO Genie at $0.000119 unlocks private investments from $10, promising 1000x returns on $1,000 amid $1 million raises. Ruvi AI at $0.020 powers a creator rewards super app with over $5 million secured, while Nexchain at $0.12 bridges chains for multi-chain scalability.

But, Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP), towers above the other names as the best presale crypto of 2026. What makes this project special is that it’s self-funded over $100 million for privacy-protected AI on a ready Layer-1. Its 17-stage auction is actively targeting a record $1.7 billion accumulation. Read on to see what makes these projects special in 2026.

1. Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP): AI & Privacy-Based Auctions Target 600x Upside

ZKP crypto or Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) leads 2026 presales with a ready Layer-1 blockchain, self-funded by over $100 million for robust infrastructure. This platform enables privacy-protected AI computations, letting enterprises process encrypted data without exposing sensitive details. Its focus on real technology sets it apart in a crowded market.

The presale runs as a 450-day Initial Coin Auction across 17 stages, ensuring fair and transparent pricing. Stage 2 now releases 190 million ZKP tokens daily from a 4.75 billion pool, with unallocated tokens burned permanently to enforce scarcity. Already $1.78 million raised signals accelerating interest toward a $1.7 billion target.

Stage 1 launched with 11.8 billion tokens at 200 million daily, building early momentum. Each phase reduces supply progressively, ramping up competition as buyers secure shares at uniform prices by connecting wallets. This structure creates natural demand pressure.

By Stage 17, daily releases drop 80% to just 40 million tokens, compounding tightness over time. Burns remove unsold supply daily, tightening circulation as awareness builds through 2027. Participants compete harder in later rounds for dwindling allocations.

Analysts project 100x to 600x returns from current levels. This math stems from controlled distribution and rising utility in finance, healthcare, and AI sectors. ZKP stands as the best presale crypto for blending privacy innovation with proven tokenomics.

2. IPO Genie: Democratizing Private Investments

IPO Genie revolutionizes access to private and pre-IPO deals, letting everyday investors start with just $10 using AI-driven vetting for company data, growth, and risks. The $IPO token powers platform access, voting on deals, priority entry, and participation rights. Priced at $0.000119, it has raised nearly $1 million in two months, signaling strong early traction in Q1 2026. This utility-focused model positions IPO Genie as the best presale crypto for bridging Web3 with traditional private markets.

A $1,000 investment secures 8.4 million $IPO tokens, boosted to 11.59 million with 20% welcome and 15% referral bonuses. Potential returns shine: 100x hits $138,000, 500x reaches $690,000, and 1000x yields $1.38 million. Analysts track it alongside peers for real tokenomics over hype, making early entry a calculated play on democratized wealth creation.

3. Ruvi AI: Rewarding Creators & Engagement Incentives

Ruvi AI stands out as a Web3 AI super app bundling image, video, and text generation tools, where users earn RUVI tokens for usage and content creation shared in its marketplace. At $0.020, token utility covers advanced features, payments, buying/selling, voting, and rewards distribution. Having raised over $5 million in later presale phases, it taps AI and creator economy trends, differentiating from fee-based platforms by fostering ownership. Ruvi AI earns its spot as the best presale crypto through practical utility that aligns user activity with token demand.

This reward system fuels engagement, as creators monetize directly while accessing premium AI capabilities. Analysts highlight its momentum in 2026, where AI integration meets sustainable economics, promising growth as adoption scales across content creators seeking fair compensation.

4. Nexchain: Bridging Chains

Nexchain tackles blockchain interoperability as a Layer-1 solution for seamless cross-chain communication, using AI to optimize network performance and reduce transfer costs. Priced at $0.12 per NEX, its token handles transaction fees, staking, voting, and developer tools. Long-term value hinges on developer adoption for infrastructure plays, making Nexchain the best presale crypto for builders eyeing multi-chain futures.

Analysts group it with utility peers for its focus on real-world scalability in Q1 2026. Success builds gradually as ecosystems interconnect, rewarding patient investors with staking yields and governance influence amid rising demand for unified blockchain operations.

To Summarize

Not all crypto presales are built the same, and 2026 is proving that utility-driven projects consistently outperform hype-led launches. IPO Genie, Ruvi AI, and Nexchain each solve real problems, opening private markets to retail investors, rewarding creators through AI-powered tools, and enabling seamless cross-chain scalability.

However, Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) clearly separates itself from the pack. Unlike early-stage concepts, ZKP launches with a fully funded Layer-1 blockchain, over $100 million in self-backed capital, and live infrastructure purpose-built for privacy-preserving AI computation. Its 17-stage Initial Coin Auction introduces enforced scarcity through daily token burns, shrinking supply by 80% by the final phase while targeting a historic $1.7 billion raise.

For traders prioritizing long-term upside, disciplined tokenomics, and enterprise-grade utility, ZKP crypto’s 600x potential stands out as the best presale crypto of 2026,

The post 2026’s Best Presale Crypto: Can IPO Genie, Ruvi AI, & Nexchain Really Compete with ZKP Crypto? appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Cardano ADA trades at $0.27 within a critical higher timeframe bullish order block spanning $0.13 to $0.18 
• Weekly closes above $0.13 maintain bullish structure; breaks below signal invalidation to $0.0755 
• Historical pattern mirrors 2021 setup when ADA rallied 3,400% from similar accumulation zones 
• Technical targets project sequential moves to $1.20, $3, $5, and $10 if current support holds firm
  

Cardano trades at $0.27 after a brutal 93% correction from recent highs, positioning the asset at a crossroads that could determine its entire cycle trajectory.

Technical analysis reveals a higher timeframe bullish order block between $0.18 and $0.13, where price action now consolidates.

The $0.13 level has emerged as the single most critical support, with analysts suggesting its defense or breach could unlock vastly different outcomes for ADA holders.

Critical Support Zone Holds Multi-Cycle Significance

The current price structure shows ADA testing support levels that haven’t been relevant since early accumulation phases.

After dropping 78% from the $1 local high reached six months ago, the asset now rests on multi-year support above $0.24.

This consolidation zone represents more than temporary support—it marks the battleground where cycle direction gets determined.

Crypto analyst Patel’s recent assessment emphasizes the importance of the $0.13 to $0.18 range as a higher timeframe bullish order block.

This technical zone has absorbed selling pressure while maintaining structural integrity. The key observation centers on weekly closes rather than intraday wicks, suggesting institutional participants are defending this range on meaningful timeframes.

Historical context adds weight to the current setup. During the 2021 bull run, ADA surged 3,400% to reach its all-time high of $3.10.

The subsequent bear market erased 92.89% of that value through a grinding correction lasting into 2026. Price action now sits within the same type of accumulation zone that preceded the previous explosive rally.

The distinction between a 10x cycle and continued downside rests entirely on the $0.13 threshold. Weekly closes above this level maintain the bullish structure and keep expansion targets in play.

Conversely, a confirmed break below invalidates the accumulation thesis and opens the door to deeper retracement toward the $0.0755 level, which represents the final line for high-risk positions.

Expansion Potential Hinges on Support Defense

The path forward splits into dramatically different scenarios based on how price interacts with current support. Bulls defending the $0.18 to $0.13 zone position ADA for what analysts describe as the last accumulation opportunity before parabolic movement.

The technical framework projects sequential targets that extend well beyond previous all-time highs if the base holds.

Immediate resistance appears at $0.4374, identified as the reclaim zone requiring confirmation. Breaking this level would shift momentum and validate that accumulation has concluded.

Beyond that point, the technical roadmap outlines targets at $1.20, $3, $5, and ultimately $10 during a full bull market expansion phase. These projections assume the current support structure remains intact through weekly timeframes.

The magnitude of potential upside reflects patterns observed in previous cycles. Cardano’s 2021 performance demonstrated the explosive potential when accumulation zones break into expansion phases.

The current compression from $1 down to $0.27 has created similar conditions—extended consolidation that historically precedes major directional moves.

Risk management parameters are unusually clear in this setup. The $0.13 weekly close functions as an unambiguous invalidation point for the bullish thesis. Traders can structure positions within the order block while maintaining defined exit strategies.

The asymmetric setup offers compelling upside if support holds, with downside risk clearly mapped to specific price levels that would trigger structural breakdown and force reassessment of cycle expectations.

The post Cardano (ADA) Make-or-Break Moment: Why $0.13 Could Trigger a 4,500% Expansion appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Trend Research sold 612,452 ETH valued at $1.26 billion over six days to avoid total liquidation. 
• The firm’s leveraged position peaked at $958 million in borrowed stablecoins backed by 601K ETH. 
• Only 39,301 ETH worth $80.93 million remains after aggressive deleveraging near $1,800 threshold. 
• Market observers suggest yesterday’s flush to $1,800 specifically targeted the firm’s known position.
  

Trend Research has offloaded 612,452 ETH worth $1.26 billion over six days as its leveraged position collapses. The firm built a risky $958 million stablecoin debt through Aave’s lending protocol at the position’s peak.

Only 39,301 ETH valued at $80.93 million now remains from holdings that once reached 601,000 ETH. The aggressive deleveraging highlights dangers of excessive leverage during volatile market conditions.

Massive Liquidation Risk Forces Emergency Sales

Jack Yi’s Trend Research constructed one of crypto’s largest leveraged positions before market conditions turned unfavorable.

The structure borrowed stablecoins against Ethereum collateral in a loop that amplified exposure. As prices declined, the collateral value dropped while debt obligations remained fixed. This classic leverage trap forced increasingly desperate defensive maneuvers.

MartyParty, a market observer, called out the risky nature of this position on X. He suggested yesterday’s market drop to $1,800 specifically targeted Trend Research’s liquidation threshold.

According to his analysis, this flush aimed to trigger forced covering and position reduction. The observation underscores how large leveraged positions become known targets during market stress.

The firm sent 423,864 ETH worth $830.63 million to exchanges in just 24 hours. This selling pressure contributed to Ethereum’s brutal 40% decline over ten days.

Early February marked when Trend Research began scrambling to reduce exposure. The company sold 33,589 ETH for roughly $79 million and deployed $77.5 million in USDT for debt repayment.

These emergency actions lowered the liquidation threshold from $1,880 to $1,830. However, continued price weakness forced additional sales.

On February 4, another 10,000 ETH went to Binance for liquidation. The cascade of forced selling exemplifies how leverage amplifies losses during downturns.

Collapse Coincides with Deteriorating Market Sentiment

The Trend Research debacle unfolds as broader crypto sentiment reaches multi-year lows. Tom Lee, quoted by CryptosRus, compared current conditions to the post-FTX crash of November 2022.

The “is crypto even viable?” narrative has returned amid the carnage. Ethereum’s 40% drop in ten days shattered confidence across markets.

Lee noted that Ethereum has survived seven drawdowns exceeding 60% over eight years. Each instance produced V-shaped recoveries according to historical data.

Yet the Trend Research collapse adds another layer of concern for market participants. Large leveraged positions unwinding create additional downward pressure that extends declines.

The risky bet by Trend Research now serves as a cautionary tale. Building nearly $1 billion in stablecoin debt against volatile collateral proved catastrophic.

The position quintupled downside risk through leverage mechanics. When Ethereum fell, the spiral became self-reinforcing and unavoidable.

Market observers debate whether this forced selling represents a capitulation event. The combination of extreme negative sentiment and leverage flushing sometimes marks bottoms.

However, $80 million in remaining collateral suggests more selling could occur. Additional declines might trigger final liquidation of Trend Research’s position.

The collapse demonstrates why excessive leverage remains dangerous regardless of conviction in an asset’s long-term prospects.

The post Trend Research Forced to Sell 612K ETH as $958M Leveraged Position Implodes appeared first on Blockonomi.

Crypto markets continue to shift as investors balance caution with the search for fresh opportunities. Established meme coins are offering mixed signals, with Dogecoin price today hovering near key levels after light gains, while volume remains soft. At the same time, the shiba inu price is moving sideways following recent volatility, keeping traders focused on whether consolidation will turn into a breakout or further decline.

Against this backdrop, BlockDAG is drawing stronger attention by offering access before public trading begins. Its final private round is live at a fixed price of $0.00025, with no vesting and full token delivery at launch. Early buyers also receive limited early trading access, a structure rarely available to retail participants. For investors tracking potential top crypto gainers, BlockDAG (BDAG) presents a clearer, earlier entry point than most market options today.

Dogecoin Price Today Shows Mixed Signals Near $0.11 Level

Dogecoin is showing mixed signals as the crypto market remains uncertain. Fear is still present, but selling pressure has slowed for now. The meme coin sector rose 3% in the last day, reaching a market value of $38.10 billion. Dogecoin gained about 2%, trading between $0.1058 and $0.11. Dogecoin price today sits near $0.1079, while daily trading volume fell sharply by over 43% to $1.26 billion. Recent data also shows $2.40 million in liquidations.

If weakness continues, Dogecoin price today could slip toward the $0.1068 support level, and deeper losses may push it below $0.1057. On the upside, a recovery could lift Dogecoin price today toward $0.1090 and possibly above $0.1102 if buying strength improves.

Shiba Inu Price Trades Sideways Amid Market Uncertainty

Shiba Inu starts February 2026 in a consolidation phase as traders closely watch price trends, on-chain data, and overall market sentiment. After strong volatility in recent months, price action has slowed, raising questions about whether a breakout or sideways movement will follow. Shiba Inu price is currently trading near $0.000006521, reflecting a 5.91% daily decline. The token holds a market cap of about $3.85 billion, while trading volume stands near $144.75 million.

Technical charts show downward pressure, with resistance around $0.00000702. Strong buying could push prices toward this level. However, if selling increases, support lies near $0.00000661, with further downside toward $0.00000600. Indicators show mixed signals, keeping the Shiba Inu price in focus for the coming weeks.

BlockDAG Final Private Round Goes Live at $0.00025

Most traders chase top crypto gainers after the move has already happened. The BlockDAG private sale flips that script by letting participants step in before price discovery even begins.

This final private round is live at $0.00025, locking in a launch valuation that public buyers won’t see again. With a projected launch price of $0.05, BDAG is positioned for a 200× upside, but only for those who secure allocation now. Once this round closes, the opportunity window shuts with it.

What makes this setup different is execution. There’s no vesting, no delayed claims, and no waiting periods. On launch day, your full allocation is delivered straight to your wallet. Clean. Simple. Immediate.

Then comes the edge most people never get: nine hours of early trading access before public markets open. That window exists for one reason: to let private sale participants position ahead of the initial volatility wave. While others rush in blind, you’re already active.

This isn’t a rolling sale or an evergreen offer. The final allocation is finite. When it fills, BDAG becomes fully distributed, forever. From that point on, exposure is limited to open-market buys at whatever price demand sets.

For anyone scanning the market for the top crypto gainers of the next cycle, this private sale isn’t about hype. It’s about timing, structure, and access, three things public markets never offer equally. The dashboard is open. Supply is moving. The clock isn’t slowing down.

BlockDAG Makes Its Case as a Future Top Crypto Gainer

As markets pause, the contrast between hesitation and opportunity is becoming clearer. Dogecoin price today and Shiba Inu price continue to reflect uncertainty, with both assets locked in tight ranges and waiting on a broader market push. For investors chasing momentum, patience is being tested.

BlockDAG, however, is operating on a different timeline. Its final private round at $0.00025 offers fixed pricing, instant ownership, and early trading access before the public rush begins. Once this window closes, entry shifts to open markets at unknown prices. For those scanning the horizon for the next wave of top crypto gainers, the choice is simple. Act early, or watch from the sidelines as demand takes over.

Private Sale: https://purchase.blockdag.network

Website: https://blockdag.network

Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial

Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu

The post BlockDAG’s $0.00025 Entry is the 2026 Opportunity DOGE and SHIB Can No Longer Offer appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Dealer hedging from BlackRock IBIT structured notes amplified Bitcoin price swings at key triggers. 
• Structured products with knock-ins, auto-callables, and buffers force automatic BTC market flows. 
• Mapping issuance and barrier levels helps traders anticipate short-term Bitcoin price movements. 
• Bitcoin volatility driven by flows often occurs independently of broader market sentiment shifts.

BlackRock IBIT Bitcoin crash is drawing attention as Arthur Hayes connects dealer hedging and structured notes to BTC volatility. Traders face flows driven by automated mechanisms, not sentiment.

Bitcoin is trading at $69,324.50, up 0.86% over the past 24 hours, supported by strong trading volume of $94.1 billion. Despite the short-term rebound, BTC remains down 16.56% over the past seven days, reflecting elevated volatility. 

Recent price action shows how short-term gains can occur even as broader pressure persists, with market flows and positioning continuing to influence Bitcoin’s near-term direction.

Dealer Hedging Drives Bitcoin Volatility

Structured products tied to BlackRock’s IBIT create complex hedging dynamics. Dealers sell these notes to clients and hedge the embedded options using BTC spot or futures. 

As positions grow, their rebalancing can directly influence prices. These notes often include auto-callables, knock-ins, and downside buffers. 

As BTC approaches key barriers, dealers must act. They buy when prices rise and sell when prices fall. This creates mechanical pressure that can resemble sudden market moves.

Arthur Hayes explained that these flows are not directional bets. Instead, they are systematic hedging responses. 

For example, when a Morgan Stanley note struck near $105,000, its 75% knock-in at $78,700 forced the dealer to sell once BTC fell below that level.

In quiet markets, these actions are subtle. However, when positions are crowded, they can dominate price movements. 

As BTC crosses trigger points, flows accelerate automatically, affecting volatility clusters and market perception.

Such mechanisms also extend to correlated assets. Precious metals like silver and gold experienced heightened volatility during the Bitcoin sell-off. 

Silver fell more than 18%, and MSTR stock declined as bearish sentiment spread. Transitioning from calm to stressed conditions amplifies these effects further.

Mapping Trigger Points and Market Flows

Hayes is mapping bank-issued notes to identify key trigger zones. Each note contains invisible barriers that influence dealer hedges. 

Understanding these levels is now essential for traders seeking to anticipate flow-driven price swings.

CryptoQuant analysts confirmed that ETFs, including BlackRock IBIT, have reduced positions accumulated last year. 

This steady selling creates pressure independent of market sentiment. Therefore, price moves may reflect hedging mechanics rather than investor pessimism.

Community discussions on X support Hayes’ observations. Traders note that auto-call and knock-in levels create predictable flow points. 

These mechanical triggers can lead to accelerated selling or buying, often before public narratives emerge.

Moreover, the recent BTC rebound to $70,000 highlights how flows can reverse. Dealers adjust as triggers reset, showing how structured product mechanics shape short-term volatility. 

Hayes emphasizes that traders must adapt strategies according to issuance, positioning, and barrier geometry.

Overall, the BlackRock IBIT Bitcoin crash illustrates a shift. BTC is no longer influenced solely by macro trends or sentiment. Instead, structured product flows and hedging dynamics now play a critical role in price movements.

The post Arthur Hayes Explains How BlackRock IBIT Hedging Shaped Recent Bitcoin Sell-Off appeared first on Blockonomi.

During the 2024 presidential election campaign, Donald Trump turned the tide for the cryptocurrency industry and became a vocal supporter, a significant shift from his previous stance.

He made multiple promises that the United States would become the crypto capital of the world and that his administration would do great things for Bitcoin and other assets. One of those promises got the community really excited as he said he wanted all remaining BTC to be mined in the US and claimed the country would establish a designated Bitcoin reserve.

The expectations were extremely high, which was among the reasons why BTC skyrocketed after he won the elections, and surged to consecutive all-time highs in 2025. However, a quick reality check a year after his inauguration shows there’s no such reserve, despite rumors that it would be a crypto stockpile including popular alts.

After a prolonged silent period with little to no movement on the matter, Jim Cramer just brought it up and made some serious claims.

In a recent CNBC appearance, he said he had “heard” that the president was going to fill up the Bitcoin reserve at $60,000. This became possible on Friday when the asset indeed plummeted to that level for the first time since before the presidential elections in late 2024.

There’s no proof for these claims at the time of this post. The only fund that is being filled with BTC is Binance’s SAFU initiative. The exchange has made a few consecutive BTC purchases, converting its SAFU fund from stablecoins to a Bitcoin-dominated fund.

Perfecting timing too. https://t.co/6vytzn5XGr

— CZ BNB (@cz_binance) February 7, 2026

The post Jim Cramer ‘Heard’ Donald Trump Is Buying BTC at $60K to Fill US Bitcoin Reserve appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The author of the Rich Dad Poor Dad best-seller came under fire recently after making some interesting yet highly controversial comments about when he allegedly stopped buying certain assets, including BTC.

The question many community members asked was – Is he lying now, or has he been deceitful for a long time?

(When) Did Kiyosaki Lie?

The popular author and investment guru became a prominent BTC bull during the COVID crash and has frequently praised the asset. Moreover, he has been advising people to buy more BTC, as well as gold, silver, and he recently added ETH to his narrative.

What’s even more interesting is that he has made multiple posts on X indicating that he has bought more. Just a few examples include on July 1, 2025, when he literally said on X that he had “bought another bitcoin today.” At the time, the cryptocurrency traded between $105,000 and $110,000 – this is important for the story in this article.

Then, just a few weeks later, when BTC exploded above $117,000, he noted that he was “going to buy one more bitcoin asap.” Kiyosaki also explained in early 2026 that he ignores the prices of BTC and ETH and just keeps buying more.

Yet, in his most recent post on the matter, which caused significant backlash, he claimed that he stopped buying bitcoin at $6,000. Just for reference, the cryptocurrency hasn’t traded at such low levels since right after the COVID-19 crash in mid-2020. In fact, even with its recent crash to $60,000, that’s still 10x from the price he claimed.

Naturally, the ever-vigilant crypto community quickly picked up the inconsistency in his posts on X, and lashed out about being a liar – either now, or he has been lying for years.

More Lies?

Others went after different claims he has made throughout the years, mostly for major crashes and different investment advice he had given, many of which never materialized. Mark McGrath, for instance, brought up a chart with many of his comments and shot straight at Kiyosaki, claiming that he is “such a lying grifter.”

You’re such a lying grifter holy cow.

You’ve been pumping all 3 of these non stop daily for years and now you claim you were never buying?

How you didn’t win the financial charlatan of the year award, I’ll never understand pic.twitter.com/gv6D9mNLM4

— Mark McGrath (@MarkMcGrathCFP) February 6, 2026

The post Robert Kiyosaki Faces Backlash Over Contradictory Bitcoin Buying Claims appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The past few weeks have been brutal for BTC and the rest of the market. The largest digital asset plummeted by roughly $30,000 in less than ten days, and bottomed out (at least for now) on Friday morning with a drop to $60,000.

Given this calamity, it’s almost expected that the overall investor sentiment has plunged just as badly. In fact, it has reached multi-year lows.

Fear Continues to Dominate

Since the cryptocurrency markets (as well as most other financial fields) can be highly emotional, the Fear and Greed Index was created to demonstrate the rapid changes. Market momentum and overall volatility are responsible for half of the index’s final result, which ranges from extreme fear (0) to extreme greed (100).

As such, it’s no wonder that it has been mostly downhill lately. Bitcoin’s price peaked at over $95,000 in mid-January, and stood above $90,000 just over ten days ago – on January 28. However, what happened next was difficult (if not impossible) to predict, as the asset plunged by $30,000 in days to its lowest price levels in well over a year.

Although it rebounded to $69,000 as of press time, this hasn’t been sufficient to move the needle on the Index. The metric has consistently declined lately and tanked to 6, its lowest level since August 2019.

Is a Rebound Next?

As Warren Buffett has said in the past, investors should be fearful when others are greedy and vice versa. As such, they should be greedy now, right? Previous instances of sharp increases or declines in the metric have led to immediate trend reversals, which could finally bring some hope for the bulls.

However, if we go back to the developments back in 2019, history does not exactly support this narrative. At the time, BTC had actually begun to recover from its late 2018/early 2019 bear market and traded 2-3x higher than the $3,500 bottom. Nevertheless, it couldn’t penetrate the $10,000 barrier and failed to do so for months.

Then came 2020 and a major black swan event (the COVID-19 crash), and BTC dumped further before it finally went on the offensive. It took the cryptocurrency over a year to break beyond $10,000. But the good news is that it never looked back and has never traded within a four-digit price territory since then.

The moral of the story now is that yes, extreme fear dominates the markets, which is typically followed by a sharp trend reversal. However, the current market environment is quite uncertain given the rising geopolitical tension, internal issues, market instability, different asset classes exploding, and so on.

The post Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index Plummets to 6-Year Low: Is The Worst Over? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitcoin has entered a highly sensitive phase after an aggressive downside continuation. The recent sell-off has pushed it into a historically reactive demand region of $60K, while broader risk sentiment remains fragile. The market is approaching a juncture where technical structure, higher-timeframe demand, and on-chain liquidity dynamics converge, making the coming sessions critical for short- to mid-term direction.

Bitcoin Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

On the daily timeframe, Bitcoin has decisively broken below its recent structure and continued to respect the descending channel, while the rejection from the middle boundary of $75K confirms that sellers remain firmly in control. The most important development is the impulsive breakdown toward the lower boundary of the channel, where the asset is now testing a major demand zone at the $60K price region that previously acted as a strong buyers’ base earlier in the cycle.

This demand area, located at the $60K region, is structurally significant as it represents the last major consolidation before the previous impulsive expansion. While prior price action on the chart confirms this zone’s historical relevance, the current interaction is far more aggressive, suggesting that any bullish reaction from this region would likely begin as a corrective bounce rather than an immediate trend reversal.

As long as Bitcoin remains below the descending channel resistance and the 100- and 200-day moving averages, the daily structure remains decisively bearish, with downside continuation still a valid risk if demand fails to absorb selling pressure.

BTC/USDT 4-Hour Chart

Zooming into the 4-hour timeframe, the bearish structure becomes even clearer. The most recent move shows a sharp sell-side expansion into the current demand zone at $60K psychological support, followed by a minor reactive bounce, which so far lacks strong follow-through.

From a short-term perspective, the key level to monitor is the nearest supply zone overhead at the $75K, formed after the last impulsive breakdown. Any corrective rebound is likely to face selling pressure as the price approaches this area, especially if volume and momentum remain weak.

As long as Bitcoin fails to reclaim and hold above this supply region, rebounds should be treated as pullbacks within a broader bearish trend rather than confirmation of a trend shift. A failure to hold the current demand zone would expose the price to a deeper downside extension toward the channel’s lower boundary of $55K.

Sentiment Analysis

The liquidation heatmap provides valuable context for the recent price behavior. The one-year BTC/USDT liquidation heatmap shows a dense liquidity pocket concentrated around and slightly below the $60K–$65K region, which aligns closely with the current price area. This clustering of liquidity suggests that this zone has been a magnet for price, driven by forced liquidations of over-leveraged long positions during the recent sell-off.

Notably, as price approaches this region, liquidation intensity declines relative to current levels, indicating that a substantial portion of downside leverage has already been unwound. This dynamic increases the probability of short-term stabilization or a reactive bounce, particularly if aggressive sellers begin to lose momentum.

However, the absence of significant liquidation clusters above current price levels implies that upside liquidity is limited in the short term, reinforcing the idea that any rebound is more likely to be corrective rather than trend-changing.

Overall, while the broader structure remains bearish, the convergence of strong historical demand and reduced downside liquidation pressure suggests that Bitcoin may attempt a relief move or consolidation phase from this zone.

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: Sub-$60K Next for BTC or a Strong BTC Rebound? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The crypto market is currently in a bearish season, as confirmed by on-chain indicators. Demand has waned, liquidity is tightening, and technical structure shows downside risk.

The market research firm CryptoQuant has released a detailed assessment of the bear cycle, explaining just how much the bears have dominated.

BTC Falls Below 365-Day MA

According to the report, the CryptoQuant Bull Score Index, which hovered around 80 (the bullish territory) as bitcoin (BTC) peaked at $126,000 in early October, is now sitting at zero. The index entered bearish territory after the October 10 liquidation event, which resulted in $19 billion in losses. BTC was still trading around $110,000 at the time; as the asset’s price hit $75,000, the index fell to zero.

At the time of writing, data from CoinMarketCap showed BTC changing hands below $68,000, with a 24-hour decline of at least 7%. Bitcoin’s price has declined 23% since it fell below its 365-day moving average (MA) on November 12, 2025. The last time BTC fell below this metric was in March 2022. Analysts say the asset’s current performance is worse than the early 2022 bear phase.

With technical structure confirming downside risk, BTC has fallen below the lower band of the Traders’ On-chain Realized Price. The level acted as the ultimate support during the bull market. The next support zone now lies between $70,000 and $60,000.

Demand Weakens, Liquidity Tightens

Amid the downturn in prices, spot and institutional demand have remained weak. The Coinbase Bitcoin Price Premium has been negative since mid-October, indicating weaker demand in the U.S. than in the rest of the world.

Furthermore, the U.S. spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) market is witnessing a reversal in demand. This time last year, the products had loaded up more than 46,000 BTC; however, they are now net sellers, having offloaded about 15,000 BTC so far. Their sales have created a demand gap of more than 50,000 BTC, contributing to selling pressure.

In the last four months, Bitcoin’s spot demand annual growth has fallen 93% from 1.1 million to 77,000 BTC. This shows that most of this cycle’s demand growth has passed.

On the liquidity front, the 60-day growth of Tether’s (USDT) market cap has turned negative (-$133 million) for the first time since October 2023. The stablecoin’s expansion peaked at $15.9 billion in late October 2025. The reversal is typical of bear market cycles.

The post CryptoQuant Breaks Down Current Bear Market Signals appeared first on CryptoPotato.