Bitcoin slides to $76,000, sparking $762 million in liquidations

Bitcoin fell back to around $76,000 as Middle East volatility rattled markets, CoinDesk reported. The drop set off one of the biggest liquidation waves since 2026: about 168,336 traders were wiped out for a combined $762 million, including roughly $593 million in short-position liquidations—nearly three quarters of the total. Earlier, Iran's opening of the Strait of Hormuz had lifted risk assets and pushed Bitcoin above $78,000. After the waterway was remilitarized, risk-off positioning intensified and the price pulled back.