- Bitcoin’s recent liquidation event mirrored past market crashes like FTX and COVID-19.
- Institutional buying interest suggested a potential recovery, despite lingering market volatility.
Bitcoin’s [BTC] recent price drop has sent shockwaves through the market, triggering the largest liquidation of long positions seen in months.
As BTC plunged, traders who had been holding bullish positions were swiftly forced out, resulting in massive losses.
This dramatic sell-off has drawn eerie comparisons to previous market crashes, leaving many to wonder if a similar downturn could be on the horizon.
A market reset in motion?
Recent data shows that Bitcoin long liquidations have reached levels unseen since September 2023.
The latest liquidation volume exceeded $180 million, a figure that underscores the extreme confidence traders had in bullish positions before the abrupt drop.
The sudden price decline to approximately $95.3K triggered a cascade of forced sell-offs, rapidly clearing out leveraged long positions.
Source: CryptoQuant
The market’s high expectations for upward movement were quickly crushed, triggering a drastic liquidation event.
The steep liquidation spike in late January and early February points to excessive leverage. This caught leveraged traders off-guard, leading to one of the most significant market cleanses in recent history.
Bitcoin: Causes and effects of the price drop
The sudden BTC price drop can be traced to several key factors. Overleveraged positions were a major driver, with traders using high leverage being forced to sell as BTC declined, triggering a liquidation cascade.
Macroeconomic uncertainty, including concerns over monetary policy or new regulations, also spooked investors and contributed to the sell-off.
The effects of this price drop have been significant. The liquidation event wiped out many overleveraged traders, resetting the market’s leverage.
It also heightened volatility, causing sharp price swings. However, with excess leverage cleared, the market may now be in a better position for a more stable, organic recovery.
Comparison to similar mammoth crashes
The recent liquidation event shows striking similarities to past market crashes.
Source: Cryptoquant
At $31.9 billion, OI sharply declined, resembling past liquidation-driven corrections like the during COVID-19, the August 2024 crash, or the FTX collapse in 2022.
While the August 2024 crash saw a temporary reset, this event shows an even steeper drop. Though the FTX collapse was more severe, both share a sudden nature.
Similarly, the COVID-19 crash, driven by liquidity issues, mirrored the rapid drop in Open Interest and forced liquidations, resetting the market before stabilization.
Bitcoin: Resetting expectations
The Coinbase Premium Gap reveals significant buying interest following Bitcoin’s dip to the $92K-$95K range.
The positive premium suggests that institutional investors are stepping in to absorb liquidity, capitalizing on the price drop to accumulate BTC at lower levels.
This shows strong institutional demand despite the broader market weakness.
Source: Cryptoquant
However, the MVRV Momentum indicator has remained negative since the beginning of the year, hinting that many investors are still underwater.
Read Bitcoin’s [BTC] Price Prediction 2025–2026
Historically, a negative MVRV suggests prolonged consolidation or further downside if confidence doesn’t return soon.
This liquidation event has reset market sentiment, and while excessive leverage has been cleared, the market remains volatile.
