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Bitcoin slid to a 9-month low near $81,000 on Friday, triggering about $1.68 billion in crypto liquidations. The drop followed a broad risk-off move tied to Middle East tensions, fresh US tariff threats, and a tech-led sell-off.
BTC fell to $81,058 on Coinbase in early Friday trading, while TradingView data tracked the move to its lowest level since April. Bitcoin later retraced part of the decline and traded around $82,800.
Liquidation activity surged over the past 24 hours, with 270,000 traders wiped out across major venues. Total liquidations hit $1.68 billion, and leveraged long positions made up about 93% of the loss, according to CoinGlass data.
Bitcoin futures accounted for $745 million of the liquidated bullish bets in that window. Ethereum also fell sharply, sliding more than 7% to around $2,700 and setting a 10-week low.
The wider crypto market sell-off extended beyond the two largest tokens. Major altcoins, including BNB, XRP, Solana, and Cardano, posted losses of about 5% to 7% during the same session.
Crypto’s total market capitalization dropped nearly 6% to about $2.9 trillion. The decline marked one of the steepest one-day pullbacks since the October 10 liquidation event linked to escalating US-China trade tensions.
Traders sold risk assets as the United States sent another warship to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran. President Donald Trump said he planned to speak with Tehran and pointed to a growing US naval presence.
“We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.
Market anxiety also rose after Trump declared a national emergency and signed an executive order tied to Cuba. The order would impose tariffs on goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba.
The risk retreat hit traditional havens, too. Gold fell about 9% from its record high of $5,600 per ounce, while silver corrected about 11.5%.
The crypto slide tracked weakness in US equities after a sharp decline in tech stocks. Microsoft shares dropped 10% on Thursday, marking the company’s biggest daily fall since March 2020 after it reported record spending and slower cloud sales growth.
Jeff Mei, chief operations officer at BTSE exchange, tied the sell-off to tech earnings. “Last night’s market dip had a clear correlation to Microsoft’s earnings flop,” Mei said.
Mei also said investors worried that a pullback in AI-linked tech stocks could weigh on broader markets. He added that some traders reduced risk exposure as uncertainty increased.
Sentiment indicators reflected the stress. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index fell 10 points to 16, its lowest level since December 20.
Policy uncertainty added another layer of caution. US lawmakers failed to pass a spending package on Thursday, raising concerns about a possible government shutdown if legislation stalls through the weekend.
Institutional demand also weakened as US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded $817.8 million in net outflows in the previous session. The outflows extended a three-day run, reducing a key support for prices through late 2025.
For now, Bitcoin has returned to a key monthly support area after sliding back to April levels. Traders are watching if BTC can hold above $81,000 as forced selling eases and macro risks stay in focus.
Also Read: Bitcoin Price Slips to $82,000 as Federal Reserve Fears Shake Crypto Market
