Bitcoin Falls Below $81,000 as $1.09 Billion in Crypto Positions Liquidate

Bitcoin fell below $81,000 before recovering toward $82,500 as approximately $1.09 billion in leveraged crypto positions were forcibly closed over 24 hours, intensifying pressure across digital-asset markets.

Long positions accounted for about $1.05 billion of the liquidations, showing that traders betting on higher prices bore most of the losses as Bitcoin declined. Bitcoin reached roughly $80,350 before recovering to about $82,609 in data timestamped 8 p.m. ET Thursday (00:00 UTC Friday).

U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded net outflows of $484.9 million on Oct. 7 and $244.1 million on Oct. 8, bringing the two-day total to $729 million. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield also reached 5.31% during the period, adding pressure to risk assets.

Short-term holders moved 55,600 BTC to exchanges at a loss during the decline. Liquidations occur when exchanges forcibly close leveraged positions after traders no longer maintain the required collateral.