Benzinga - by Murtuza Merchant, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), the world’s leading digital currency by market capitalization, fell below the crucial $69,000 mark, slipping as low as $68,580 in Tuesday trading.
What Happened: This represents a 4.4% drop over the past 24 hours, with Ethereum down 5.5%, trading around $3,500 at the time of writing. Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) took an even bigger hit, plummeting by 7.9% to $0.1887.
This downturn triggered a wave of liquidations in the cryptocurrency derivatives market.
CoinGlass data shows that over $250 million worth of positions were liquidated, with over $200 million in longs — traders betting on rising prices.
This data suggests that leveraged traders were caught by surprise by the sudden price drop, marking the largest daily flush of leveraged long positions since April 2.
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Why It Matters: While the market jitters cast a shadow on the recent bullish momentum, some analysts remain cautiously optimistic.
Bob Loukas, a well-respected figure in the cryptocurrency space, stated that ideally Bitcoin would “hang strong” during this period of market adjustment.
However, he acknowledged a lingering uncertainty, expressing that Bitcoin “doesn’t feel ready” for a sustained push towards higher highs.
Loukas, who identifies as a Bitcoin bull, conceded the possibility of a steeper correction, with prices potentially revisiting the lower $50,000 range.
This recent volatility underscores the inherent risks and rewards associated with cryptocurrency investments.
With Bitcoin yet to decisively break above the $73,000 resistance level, questions linger about the sustainability of the current bull run.
What’s Next: For those seeking to navigate the ever-evolving digital asset landscape, Benzinga’s upcoming Future of Digital Assets conference on Nov. 19 presents a valuable opportunity.
Industry leaders, experts, and enthusiasts will convene to discuss critical issues impacting the cryptocurrency market, including price trends, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies.
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