finance and economy - The cryptocurrency market faced a severe correction at the beginning of the week, highlighting the persistent volatility in digital assets despite their growing institutional adoption. Bitcoin, the fl...
The catalyst for this market movement appears to be multifaceted. Higher-than-expected July wholesale inflation data has cast doubt on the likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate cut in September, adding to the broader market uncertainty. This macroeconomic backdrop, combined with technical selling pressure, resulted in one of the largest liquidation events of 2025.
The scale of the liquidations is particularly noteworthy. Over the past 24 hours, 131,455 traders were forced to close positions, resulting in total liquidations of $552.58 million. Bitcoin long positions accounted for $123 million of these liquidations, while Ethereum longs represented $178 million. These forced sales occur when leveraged traders cannot meet their margin requirements, leading to automatic position closures.
Institutional involvement in the crypto market has evolved significantly. The introduction of spot Bitcoin ETFs has added a new dimension to market dynamics, with these investment vehicles showing strong inflows despite the recent volatility. ETH funds, in particular, have demonstrated remarkable strength, posting their 14th consecutive week of inflows and setting a new record.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent clarification regarding the government's strategic bitcoin reserve has also influenced market sentiment. The announcement that the reserve would be limited to forfeited bitcoin, rather than involving new purchases, may have disappointed some market participants who had hoped for more aggressive government accumulation.
The broader crypto ecosystem is feeling the effects of this correction. The CoinDesk 20 index, a key measure of the crypto market's health, declined by 3.7%. Crypto-related stocks have also faced pressure, with companies like Bitmine Immersion and SharpLink Gaming seeing notable declines in premarket trading.