Bitcoin slides to a 2026 low as 24-hour liquidations top $1 billion
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $469 million in net outflows in a single session, accelerating from the prior day's $114 million withdrawal and extending the streak to seven straight weeks of net redemptions. Markets are also recalibrating for a higher-rate backdrop after the Federal Reserve kept policy restrictive amid hotter-than-expected inflation; CME FedWatch now shows rising odds of rate hikes later this year.
On-chain flows added to the pressure. Large holders with 10 to 10,000 BTC have offloaded tens of thousands of coins in recent days, and Strategy sold part of its Bitcoin holdings to fund preferred dividend payments. As Bitcoin broke below key technical levels, the move triggered a wave of forced liquidations among leveraged traders, pushing total liquidations beyond $1 billion over the past 24 hours. (Cointelegraph)