Bitcoin Hits $106,377 Low as $1 Billion Longs Liquidated After Fed Cut

Bitcoin fell to $112,956.17 on October 28 while Ethereum dropped to $3,982.26. The moves came with $552.27 million in positions liquidated across 150,568 traders. Total crypto market capitalization declined to $3.84 trillion.The session opened with Bitcoin near $114,250 and closed the day around $113,836 after touching lower levels. Ether underperformed, falling between 2.6 percent and 3.7 percent depending on the venue. The Fear and Greed Index settled at 50 after dropping one point.The SetupTraders had already priced in a 25 basis point cut to the 3.75 percent to 4.00 percent range for the October 29 meeting. Spot Bitcoin ETFs had posted $149.30 million in net inflows the prior day while Ethereum ETFs added $133.95 million. Open interest had not yet recovered from the more than 30 percent drop recorded during the October 7-10 liquidation wave.That earlier episode saw Bitcoin decline 17.2 percent between October 7 and October 10 amid the largest single-day liquidation event on record at $19 billion. The market entered October 28 still carrying reduced leverage and a neutral sentiment reading, setting conditions for modest downside pressure rather than an outsized move.The inflows reflected ongoing accumulation by institutional vehicles that supplied persistent bids capable of absorbing spot selling without requiring fresh leverage to maintain price levels. Reduced open interest meant fewer margin positions stood ready to amplify any softening in risk appetite into forced exits, thereby muting the usual feedback loop from macro signals into crypto deleveraging. A neutral sentiment reading left participants without crowded directional exposure, so adjustments to positioning occurred through measured rebalancing rather than rapid unwinds that would otherwise pressure the dollar's influence on funding costs.The ETF flows transmitted steady capital into the market that offset some of the drag from lower leverage, allowing prices to absorb the softer tone without deeper breaks as institutional demand continued to support bids ahead of the decision.The Move in DetailBitcoin traded as low as $112,956.17 before recovering toward $113,831 by the close. Ethereum led the losses, declining between 2.6 percent and 3.7 percent to finish near $4,090. Global market capitalization fell between 1.3 percent and 1.5 percent to the $3.84 trillion to $3.93 trillion range.Volume remained moderate while the liquidation total of $552.27 million concentrated in long positions. No single level acted as a hard floor; price drifted lower through the session without a sharp cascade beyond the recorded liquidations.Long-heavy liquidations transmitted the softer risk tone directly into reduced leverage, which in turn kept dollar strength from amplifying further outflows as the policy path remained the dominant variable. The contained price action showed that liquidity channels from ETF inflows continued to support bids even as broader risk appetite moderated ahead of the decision.Higher-beta assets absorbed more of the adjustment because their sensitivity to shifts in risk appetite transmits policy uncertainty faster through funding markets and margin requirements. The gap between current liquidations and the historical peak underscored how lower leverage dampens transmission from macro signals into crypto volatility, allowing the dollar's influence to stay muted rather than triggering broad deleveraging.Reading the VolatilityThe session produced contained downside rather than the violent expansion seen earlier in October. Liquidations stayed well below the $19 billion peak recorded on October 10. Cross-asset performance showed Ethereum underperforming Bitcoin, consistent with higher-beta behavior when risk appetite softens ahead of a policy event.With open interest still depressed from the prior liquidation wave, the market lacked the leverage fuel for a larger move. The neutral Fear and Greed reading of 50 reflected this cautious positioning.The contained reaction relative to earlier extremes illustrated how prior deleveraging had already cleared excess positioning, so the move registered mainly as a recalibration of exposure rather than a full risk-off cascade. This setup favored traders who could add to core holdings on dips without fighting crowded long books, while the neutral sentiment left room for volatility to compress once the policy path clarified without requiring aggressive repositioning.What Comes NextAttention now turns to the Federal Reserve statement and press conference scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET on October 29. Options markets are likely to see implied volatility compress if the outcome aligns with current pricing, while futures funding rates may stabilize once the event passes.Traders face a setup where neutral sentiment and ETF demand together limit downside follow-through, as the path of policy now hinges more on liquidity conditions than on crowded directional bets.The cut's transmission into crypto occurs primarily through expected improvements in dollar liquidity and risk-asset funding, which the recent inflows already previewed by demonstrating institutional willingness to absorb supply even during periods of reduced leverage. Lower open interest further isolates price action from margin-driven feedback, allowing any post-decision stabilization in risk appetite to flow directly into spot bids rather than being absorbed by forced covering. For traders this means the market can absorb incremental positioning shifts without the amplification seen when leverage was elevated, reducing the likelihood that modest policy surprises would produce outsized volatility beyond the levels already observed.

28th October 2025

Ethereum fell 6.4% to $3,493 on November 4 while Bitcoin declined 2.8% to $104,577. The moves came as the global crypto market cap dropped 3.9% to $3.54 trillion and another $100 billion was shaved from total capitalization. Solana dropped 11.0% to $157, widening the losses across higher-beta assets.Twenty-four-hour liquidations rose 153% to $1.08 billion as selling accelerated. Trading volume reached $223 billion, reflecting elevated participation in the downside. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index fell to 21, its lowest level in the current sequence.The SetupBitcoin started November under pressure after slipping below $105,000 following its weakest October in a decade. Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net withdrawals of $186.5 million on November 3, with Ethereum ETFs seeing $135.7 million in outflows the same day. The Federal Reserve’s 25-basis-point cut the prior week had already dampened risk appetite, leaving positioning lighter into the new month.These flows and the post-Fed tone created conditions where any incremental selling could trigger stops. Open interest had built through October on the back of earlier gains, so the combination of ETF redemptions and reduced risk tolerance left the market exposed to rapid unwinds once prices began to give way.The cut transmits to crypto by easing financial conditions in traditional markets yet simultaneously signaling that growth concerns warrant caution, which reduces the premium investors assign to leveraged risk assets and channels capital toward safer instruments instead.Outflows from the spot products remove a daily source of demand that had previously absorbed supply, lowering the buffer against further price pressure and allowing leverage built on prior inflows to become more fragile when sentiment shifts.The Move in DetailBitcoin traded as low as $101,590.52 on the daily snapshot while Ethereum printed $3,292.57. The 6.4% decline in Ether outpaced Bitcoin’s 2.8% move, and Solana’s 11.0% drop showed the rotation out of higher-beta names. Volume of $223 billion confirmed participation rather than a thin-session wick.Liquidations totaling $1.08 billion in 24 hours cleared leveraged long positions that had accumulated into the early-month weakness. The breadth of the decline, with market cap falling $100 billion on top of the prior day’s ETF outflows, pointed to a broad de-risking rather than an isolated altcoin event.That scale of liquidation unwinds leverage that had been layered onto earlier price gains, converting paper long exposure into realized selling that amplifies the initial move and forces additional exits as margin requirements tighten across exchanges.The larger decline in higher-beta assets shows how reduced risk appetite reallocates away from volatile segments first, transmitting the same liquidity pressure through correlated selling rather than isolated profit taking.Reading the VolatilityThe 153% jump in liquidations relative to the prior period indicates that positioning had been net long and that stops were clustered on the downside. Ether’s larger percentage decline versus Bitcoin highlights the usual beta relationship under stress, while Solana’s steeper move shows how quickly momentum names can extend losses once sentiment turns.With the Fear & Greed Index at 21, the market had already priced in caution before the session began. The volume spike to $223 billion suggests the move cleared positions rather than simply repricing unchanged holdings, which often precedes a period of consolidation once the liquidation wave subsides.The index reading at that level reflects prevailing caution that leaves little room for positive surprises, so any further deterioration in flows or positioning transmits more directly into price because fewer buyers stand ready to absorb supply.Elevated volume accompanying the liquidation surge confirms that the decline processed excess leverage rather than merely marking positions to market, which typically reduces the overhang that would otherwise keep volatility elevated after the initial flush.What Comes NextTraders will watch whether ETF flows stabilize after the $186.5 million Bitcoin and $135.7 million Ethereum outflows recorded on November 3. Any reversal in those daily figures would signal returning demand and could limit further downside in the near term.Key levels remain the $101,590.52 area tested on the CoinMarketCap snapshot for Bitcoin and the $3,292.57 zone for Ethereum. Sustained trading above those prints would indicate the liquidation flush has run its course; renewed pressure through them would keep volatility elevated into the following week.

4th November 2025

Bitcoin reached $103,815 on November 6 after a 1.6 percent gain. The move followed a brief breach below $100,000 on November 4 and came against a backdrop of sustained selling in spot ETFs.Total crypto market capitalization settled between $3.49 trillion and $3.55 trillion, while 24-hour trading volume reached $162.6 billion. Ethereum advanced in tandem, rising 2.9 percent to $3,440.The SetupSpot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $137 million in outflows on November 5, with Ethereum ETFs seeing $118 million. Over the full week ending November 6 the combined redemptions reached $2.6 billion. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index sat at 24, firmly in fear territory.Bitcoin had already slipped below $100,000 once in early November before recovering to the $101,300-$103,200 area. Open interest and funding data were not reported for the session, yet the combination of ETF outflows and elevated liquidations suggested leveraged positions had been reduced sharply in prior sessions.Those redemptions signal reduced institutional commitment that can curb overall market liquidity and heighten price sensitivity to any further selling pressure across risk assets.The fear reading reflects defensive positioning that tends to limit risk appetite and keep leverage lower until clearer signs of stabilization emerge.Redemptions on that scale can shrink the pool of stable capital that normally absorbs volatility and thereby increase the market's reliance on shorter-term flows for any sustained advance.A reading at that level of fear tends to discourage new leveraged long positions and channels participation toward defensive adjustments rather than directional bets.The Move in DetailBitcoin opened the session near $101,300 and climbed steadily through the day, closing at $103,815. Ethereum followed with a 2.9 percent advance to $3,440. The broader market cap rose 2.3 percent to $3.55 trillion.Volume remained elevated at $162.6 billion for the 24-hour period. Liquidations totaled $1.71 billion in the 24 hours ending November 5. No single coin dominated the recovery; both Bitcoin and Ethereum posted comparable percentage gains.Elevated turnover during the advance points to active repositioning that can transmit reduced leverage into steadier participation once selling pressure eases.Comparable gains across the two largest assets suggest the recovery drew from broad risk appetite rather than isolated flows.High turnover amid the price rise can redistribute risk more evenly and reduce the concentration of leveraged bets that previously amplified downside moves.Broad participation across leading assets indicates the price action reflected a general improvement in sentiment toward risk rather than sector-specific inflows.Reading the VolatilityThe rebound occurred without a major catalyst and against continued ETF selling, pointing to short-covering rather than fresh long accumulation. Volatility appeared contained relative to the prior day's liquidation spike.Cross-asset behavior showed modest outperformance by altcoins in percentage terms, though Bitcoin retained leadership in absolute dollar moves. The fear reading at 24 suggested positioning remained defensive even as prices stabilized.Short-covering that lifts prices while ETF selling persists can indicate that leverage has already been trimmed, lowering the chance of another cascade if sentiment stays cautious.Contained volatility after heavy liquidations can reflect a market that has already cleared excess positions and is less prone to rapid swings from modest order flow.Altcoin outperformance in percentage terms alongside Bitcoin's dollar leadership points to a rotation within risk assets that still keeps the largest holdings as the primary reference for overall direction.What Comes NextTraders will monitor whether ETF outflows moderate or accelerate into the following week.Upcoming macro releases begin with International Exports, Imports and Balance of Trade data on November 19, followed by FOMC Minutes the same afternoon and the full employment report on November 20. Options markets are likely to price in elevated implied volatility ahead of those prints.Continued redemptions at that scale would further constrain liquidity channels that support risk assets and could reinforce dollar strength at the expense of crypto exposure.Defensive readings like the current fear level typically keep traders focused on leverage reduction rather than new accumulation until clearer transmission from policy expectations appears.Trade balance figures can alter perceptions of external demand and thereby influence expectations for how monetary policy will evolve, which in turn shapes the dollar's path and the relative cost of holding leveraged positions in crypto.FOMC minutes can clarify the intended pace of any policy adjustments and transmit directly to risk assets by changing the backdrop for carry trades and the willingness to maintain exposure in volatile markets.Employment data can shift assessments of economic momentum and feed into risk appetite by altering views on the likelihood of supportive or restrictive policy settings that affect liquidity conditions for crypto.Persistent outflows can tighten the funding environment for risk assets and tilt flows toward the dollar, reducing the scope for crypto to attract incremental capital even if short-term price action remains positive.Low fear readings keep attention on position sizing and risk controls, which can slow the transmission of any policy signals into fresh accumulation until leverage metrics show clearer improvement.

6th November 2025