In terms of market value, the world’s leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin experienced a significant drop during the night. It fell by 6% to $54,600. This decline came after an already challenging week, and Bitcoin’s value dropped to $54,000 on Friday. By the end of the weekend, Bitcoin showed some recovery, trading above $55,500 but still significantly below its recent highs.
Market Uncertainties Cause Selling Pressures
The cryptocurrency market is currently facing various adversities. These include market uncertainties, potential selling pressures from significant Bitcoin holders, and the release of funds to creditors from the Mt. Gox bankruptcy estate.
The German government holds 39,826 BTC, worth approximately $2.2 billion at current prices, which it may decide to sell. Additionally, the defunct Japanese exchange Mt. Gox is preparing to distribute around 142,000 BTC and 143,000 Bitcoin Cash, worth approximately $7.7 billion, to its creditors.
Market Reactions and Expert Opinions
Despite a brief rally attempt on Sunday that saw Bitcoin’s price rise above $58,000, gains were not sustained, leading to the lowest trading points since the end of February. The potential sale by the German government and fund distribution from Mt. Gox are significant factors affecting the market.
Experts suggest that these events could signal a bottom for Bitcoin once the selling pressure subsides. K33 Research highlights that the selling pressure from Mt. Gox creditors after repayments begin could add significant downward momentum to Bitcoin.
Summer months typically create a lull in the cryptocurrency markets, but the additional supply from these sources could lead to a more intense trading period than usual. This increased supply could fill weakly traded order books and cause further price volatility.
Recent price movements have also been significantly influenced by liquidations. CoinGlass data indicated that long positions worth $175 million and short positions worth $35 million were liquidated. This amounts to approximately $210 million in liquidations.