Traders Lost Nearly $500 Million Due to Crypto Market Crash. What Happened

RBK-cryptoОпубліковано о 2026-01-08Востаннє оновлено о 2026-01-08

Анотація

On January 8th, the cryptocurrency market experienced a sharp decline, with Bitcoin (BTC) momentarily dropping below $90,000, erasing all its gains from the beginning of the week. Ethereum (ETH) also fell, dropping over 5% to below $3,100. Although prices slightly recovered later, the total market capitalization fell by approximately 4% to $3.1 trillion. This volatility led to the liquidation of over $460 million in leveraged trades, affecting more than 127,000 traders. The vast majority of these losses, $415 million, were from long positions betting on price increases, primarily in Bitcoin and Ethereum. Market sentiment, as measured by the Fear and Greed Index, remained in the "fear" zone at 28 out of 100, indicating a tendency among investors toward panic selling. Furthermore, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a significant net capital outflow of nearly $486 million on January 7th, marking the second consecutive session of outflows. Ethereum ETFs also saw outflows, ending a three-session streak of positive inflows with a $98 million net outflow. Despite the recent drop, Bitcoin's price remains up more than 3% since the start of the year.

"RBC-Crypto" does not provide investment advice, the material is published for informational purposes only. Cryptocurrency is a volatile asset that can lead to financial losses.

On the morning of January 8, the price of Bitcoin (BTC) momentarily dropped below $90,000, wiping out all gains from the beginning of the week. From the peak of the previous day, quotes lost more than 3.5%. Ethereum (ETH) lost more than 5% from its January 7 peak—its price momentarily fell below $3,100.

By 11:20 Moscow time, Bitcoin quotes had slightly recovered and were around $90,500. ETH is trading at the level of $3,150. The total capitalization of the crypto market lost approximately 4% over the past 24 hours, standing at $3.1 trillion.

Since the beginning of the year, the price of BTC still shows growth of more than 3%, and the local peak was reached on January 5 at the mark of $94,800.

Amid volatility in the crypto market over the past 24 hours, crypto exchanges liquidated leveraged trades of more than 127,000 traders for a total of about $460 million, according to Coinglass data. The majority of the losses—$415 million—were incurred by those betting on the rise of cryptocurrencies (long positions, longs). Most of the losses occurred in the Bitcoin and Ethereum markets.

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index has been in the "fear" zone since mid-December—according to data as of January 8, it is holding at 28 points out of 100. The movement of the indicator suggests that market participants are leaning towards panic selling of cryptocurrencies.

At the end of the trading session on January 7, spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US recorded a net capital outflow of nearly $486 million, according to information from SoSoValue. This is the second consecutive trading session with a net capital outflow from Bitcoin funds. Ethereum-based ETFs broke a series of three consecutive trading sessions with a positive capital inflow indicator—on January 7, the aggregate outflow amounted to $98 million.

What will happen to the regulation of the cryptocurrency market in Russia in 2026

Bitcoin turned 17 years old

Bitcoin as "digital gold": what an investor should know

Пов'язані питання

QWhat was the total amount of money liquidated from traders in the crypto market crash, and what was the primary cause of these liquidations?

AApproximately $460 million was liquidated from over 127,000 traders. The primary cause was a sharp market drop, with Bitcoin falling below $90k and Ethereum below $3.1k, which triggered the liquidation of leveraged positions.

QHow did the prices of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) change during the market drop on January 8th?

ABitcoin's price momentarily dropped below $90,000, losing over 3.5% from its peak the previous day. Ethereum's price fell below $3,100, losing more than 5% from its peak on January 7th.

QWhat does the 'Fear and Greed Index' value of 28 indicate about the sentiment in the cryptocurrency market?

AA value of 28 indicates that the market is in a state of 'Fear,' suggesting that market participants are leaning towards panic selling of cryptocurrencies.

QWhat was the net capital flow for US spot Bitcoin ETFs on January 7th, and how did it compare to the previous session?

AUS spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net capital outflow of nearly $486 million on January 7th. This was the second consecutive trading session with a net capital outflow for Bitcoin funds.

QDespite the recent drop, what is Bitcoin's overall performance since the beginning of the year mentioned in the article?

ASince the beginning of the year, Bitcoin's price is still showing growth of more than 3%, with a local peak reached on January 5th at $94,800.

Пов'язані матеріали

As Consensus Accelerates, What Are Young Investors Betting On?

Title: As Consensus Forms Faster, What Are Young Investors Betting On? In the rapid evolution of tech investment, a new generation of young investors is navigating a landscape where AI, robotics, commercial aerospace, and quantum computing are advancing simultaneously. Traditional investment logic based on financial models is giving way to a need for deep technical understanding and the ability to act before industry consensus forms. An analysis of trends from the "WAIC FUTURE TECH" list of young investment leaders reveals key shifts in focus. The first major trend is the movement of AI from the digital screen into the physical world. Investment is shifting from large language models and chatbots towards embodied AI, robotics, AI hardware, and edge computing. While demonstrations generate excitement, the real challenge lies in achieving scalable, reliable, and cost-effective delivery in complex real-world environments like factories and logistics. Success depends not just on algorithms but on the integration of sensors, actuators, and control systems. Second, the competitive focus for large models is moving beyond raw capability toward building an "intelligence flywheel." The goal is to create self-reinforcing systems where user interaction generates data, improving the model, which in turn enhances the user experience and attracts more engagement. Companies that successfully embed AI into workflows to create these closed-loop systems can build lasting value that isn't easily erased by the next model upgrade. Third, facing a potential bottleneck in high-quality human-generated data, investors are looking at new underlying technologies. Reinforcement learning and self-play, as demonstrated by AlphaGo Zero, offer paths for AI to generate its own experience. Scientific foundation models, which aim to build general AI capabilities for fields like life sciences and materials discovery, represent a non-consensus direction that could unlock new frontiers of knowledge and data. Finally, in deep-tech areas like quantum computing, commercial aerospace, and space-based infrastructure, patient capital is essential. These fields have long, uncertain development and validation cycles involving complex engineering, supply chains, and regulations. Investment here requires a long-term view, focusing on foundational team capabilities and the eventual emergence of market demand, even if commercial returns are distant. Collectively, these trends illustrate how young investors are adapting to a new era. They are learning to make earlier, technically-informed judgments, balance hype with real-world viability, and provide the patient capital needed to build the deep-tech foundations of the future.

marsbit16 хв тому

As Consensus Accelerates, What Are Young Investors Betting On?

marsbit16 хв тому

Can Japan Buy Growth with AI? Will the Bond Market Believe It?

Japan's cabinet has introduced the 2026 Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform, shifting its primary fiscal target. The new framework moves away from the traditional annual primary balance goal and instead prioritizes a stable reduction of the debt-to-GDP ratio. This change is tied to a strategy of increased "responsible proactive fiscal" spending, aiming to boost long-term growth through investments in strategic sectors like AI, semiconductors, energy, and robotics. The government estimates total public and private investment in 62 key technologies could exceed 370 trillion yen by 2040. The market reaction has been mixed and cautious. While equity markets may respond to policy signals, bond markets are focused on fiscal credibility. Concerns center on whether the weakening of the clear primary balance anchor could lead to looser fiscal discipline. If investors doubt that these strategic investments will generate sufficient productivity gains, tax revenue, and nominal growth to outpace rising interest costs, they may demand higher yields on Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs). Recent volatility in the yen and JGB yields, with the 10-year yield briefly reaching 2.9%, reflects this skepticism. The success of this new framework hinges on two factors: whether Japan can achieve a nominal growth rate consistently higher than its long-term interest rates, and whether future budgets demonstrate disciplined control over bond issuance. The government's narrative is that strategic investment is essential to break Japan's cycle of low growth, aging, and labor shortages. However, the bond market will continuously assess the credibility of this plan, pricing the risk that it may represent fiscal expansion rather than a viable growth strategy.

marsbit53 хв тому

Can Japan Buy Growth with AI? Will the Bond Market Believe It?

marsbit53 хв тому

Misjudged A-Shares: Resilience, Expectations, and Confidence

China's A-share market recently faced selling pressure, especially in tech sectors, initially triggered by a global tech sell-off that began in South Korea. However, the article argues this is a case of "mistaken injury" and highlights the market's underlying resilience. This resilience stems from three main pillars: **1) Tech Sector Fundamentals:** Unlike Korea's market dominated by a few memory chip stocks, China's tech sector is diversified across computing, communications, electronics, and semiconductors, supported by dual narratives of global AI supply chains and domestic substitution. Core areas like optical modules and fiber optics continue to show strong earnings growth. **2) "National Team" Support:** State-backed institutions and large corporations have made significant market purchases and announced buybacks, providing liquidity and signaling confidence. This is seen as a stabilizing policy signal, often associated with market bottoms. **3) Broader Market Pillars:** Other major sectors are showing endogenous recovery momentum. Consumer stocks benefit from stabilizing CPI and signs of sector recovery (e.g., liquor price hikes). Cyclical sectors like aluminum have high earnings, potential price increases due to tight supply, and low valuations. The financial sector offers stable dividends and low valuations. The conclusion is that the sell-off was driven by external contagion, not a collapse in fundamentals. With strong policy support and recovering momentum across key sectors, the A-share market possesses the toughness to regain stability.

marsbit1 год тому

Misjudged A-Shares: Resilience, Expectations, and Confidence

marsbit1 год тому

Торгівля

Спот
活动图片