$2.5 Billion Liquidated: Crypto Market Cursed with Falling but Not Rising
On January 31, Bitcoin sharply dropped below $78,000, hitting a low of $75,700, a 7.6% decline, falling to levels last seen in April 2025. Ethereum fell below $2,400, down 12.28%, nearly erasing gains since July 2025, and Solana dropped 13.74% below $100. The broader crypto market liquidation totaled $2.522 billion in 24 hours, with long positions accounting for $2.411 billion.
The downturn was triggered by escalating geopolitical tensions and a sharp sell-off in precious metals. Gold fell 15.7% and silver plunged 37%, partly due to market expectations of a more hawkish Federal Reserve under potential chair nominee Kevin Warsh. This led to a repricing of risk assets, with crypto—seen as a higher-risk asset—experiencing accelerated outflows.
Notably, Bitcoin’s value relative to gold hit a historic low, suggesting extreme weakness but also potential long-term opportunity. However, the market displayed a “follow-the-drop-not-the-rise” pattern, falling alongside traditional risk-off moves without participating in rallies.
Major players suffered significant losses. Garrett Bullish was liquidated for over $700 million in a single position on Hyperliquid, with total losses around $270 million over two weeks. Meanwhile, Trend Research fund held large ETH positions with nearly $500 million in unrealized losses, continuously adding collateral to avoid liquidation.
The event underscores that crypto remains highly sensitive to macro sentiment and liquidity shifts, lacking the stability of a true safe-haven asset. It forces a reevaluation of crypto’s long-term value proposition during periods of deleveraging and market stress.
marsbit02/01 01:02
