Crypto

Bitcoin Drops to $51K as Market Faces Liquidation Surge; Analyst Sees Potential Correction Ahead

Published February 21, 2024

Bitcoin (BTC/USD) has seen a 2% decrease over the last day, hovering around $51,100, which has activated significant liquidations of long positions within the crypto market.

Market Reactions

As the flagship cryptocurrency struggled, experienced technical analyst Ali Martinez pointed to certain market indicators that have started flashing sell signals for Bitcoin. Martinez shared his analysis via social media, noting the possibility of an impending correction.

Recent market activities recorded by Martinez indicate substantial selling from Bitcoin whales. In the recent two-day period, these prominent investors offloaded approximately 30,000 Bitcoins, translating to a value of $1.56 billion. These whale movements often precede market trends, suggesting that further price pullbacks could be imminent.

In the broader economic context, the forthcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes are expected to shed light on policymakers' perspectives on economic conditions and their plans regarding interest rate adjustments. These revelations could introduce additional volatility into the crypto market.

Liquidation and Interest Data

Data from Coinglass has disclosed that total liquidations in the last day peaked at $305.9 million, affecting 105,673 traders. Out of this, Bitcoin's share amounted to $77.4 million, marking the most considerable spike in liquidations since January 23rd.

Another notable metric is the current open interest in Bitcoin Futures, which has reached its zenith since November 2021 at $23.9 billion. This indicates a growing fascination with Bitcoin, yet it also warns of potential risk, as unexpected price shifts could prompt more liquidations and add to the selling pressures.

Moreover, the ratio between long and short positions for Bitcoin has stayed below 1 since February started, now at 0.99, pointing to a predominantly bearish sentiment within the trading community.

Despite some industry leaders, such as Michael Saylor, expressing their intent to retain Bitcoin for the long-term, the current market dynamics suggest that a short-term price dip might be around the corner.

Bitcoin, Correction, Liquidation