Bitcoin Slides Below $105K Amid $1.3 Billion Liquidation Wave

The cryptocurrency market faced heavy selling pressure on Thursday as Bitcoin fell below the $105,000 mark for the first time in nearly two months, triggering a wave of over $1.3 billion in liquidations across major exchanges.

According to data from Coinglass, long positions accounted for nearly 80% of the total liquidations, as leveraged traders were caught off guard by a sharp pullback in Bitcoin’s price. Ethereum followed the broader market trend, sliding 4.7% to $3,780, while Solana and Avalanche lost over 6% in 24 hours.

Analysts attribute the decline to a combination of profit-taking by institutional investors and renewed uncertainty over U.S. monetary policy. Federal Reserve officials hinted at the possibility of keeping interest rates elevated through early 2026, dampening appetite for risk assets, including crypto.

“After weeks of bullish momentum, we’re seeing a natural correction — markets are digesting the macro picture,” said Anna Kovács, a senior analyst at Blockwave Research. “If Bitcoin holds the $100k support level, this could become a healthy consolidation phase rather than a full-scale reversal.”

Despite the downturn, inflows into Bitcoin spot ETFs in Europe and Asia remain steady, suggesting that long-term sentiment is still constructive. Meanwhile, MicroStrategy’s European subsidiary announced plans to launch a new euro-denominated investment vehicle (ticker STRE) aimed at accumulating more Bitcoin for its treasury, signaling continued institutional confidence.

The total crypto market capitalization currently stands at $3.54 trillion, down about 3.9% on the day.