By: Eliza Bennet
Bitcoin prices have plunged below the $39,000 mark, a 20% decrease from its yearly high of $49,000, marking significant withdrawals in the ongoing cycle. This price skid illustrates the inherent volatility of this digital asset class. The cryptocurrency market has observed $330 million in liquidations in the last 24 hours, with Bitcoin accounting for roughly $90 million.
The plunge in Bitcoin's price triggered considerable liquidations totalling around $115 million across the cryptocurrency market over the past hour. Interestingly, $77 million of Bitcoin's liquidations stemmed from long positions. More notably, a whopping $100 million liquidation occurred in the final hour, with losses predominantly from long positions.
Bitcoin's drop below the $39,000 mark suggests that traders may be reevaluating the risks and rewards associated with digital assets. This downturn reduced the cryptocurrency's market capitalization by approximately $40 billion, settling at $767 billion, which can be seen as a sign of bearish tendencies creeping into the market.
A recent surge in Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) outflows, decreasing activity in futures and options markets, and a shift in market sentiment have been identified as key contributors to Bitcoin's price decline.