The global cryptocurrency markets experienced a severe downturn at the start of the week, with the total market capitalization plummeting by $140 billion in a matter of hours, dropping below the $3 trillion threshold. Bitcoin 
$78,680, after losing its $90,000 support, fell to $85,200 and struggled to maintain a position just under $86,000 during Asian trading. Intense selling pressures arose from a combination of regulatory uncertainties and excessive leverage accumulation in derivative markets, leading to a Ripple 
$1 effect of panic-selling.
Derivative Pressure and Miner Stress Crippling Prices
According to analysts, the decline is attributed to several layered reasons. The initial shock to the market came from new restrictions implemented by China on local Bitcoin mining activities. The analyst, “NoLimit” noted that some miners across the nation were once again going offline. However, the primary focus of the pressure was the record-high levels of open positions in derivative markets.
Analyst “Sykodelic” highlighted that the increase in open positions witnessed over the last six weeks reached its peak during this decline. Deribit’s data indicated $2 billion worth of option open positions at the $85,000 level, causing investors with short positions to balance their risks with future and spot sales as prices dropped. This compounded the selling pressure. The chain of liquidations increased seller intensity in the market, resulting in Bitcoin losing thousands of dollars within hours.
James Check, an analyst at Glassnode, remarked that “Market stress is at its highest level since the 2022 bear market.” Falling hash rates among Bitcoin miners, 60% of ETF inflows being at a loss, and numerous funds trading below their net asset value further deepened the diminishing confidence.
Delayed Crypto Legislation in the US Fuels Uncertainty
Another critical factor contributing to the market collapse was the delay in the cryptocurrency regulatory bill in the US. The Senate Banking Committee announced that the bill aimed at structuring the crypto market and granting the CFTC authority over spot markets would not be tabled until early 2026.
The crypto sector anticipated progress with this bill by the end of the year. However, the announcement that “The Committee is continuing negotiations and plans to vote at the beginning of 2026” reinforced the perception of ongoing regulatory uncertainty among investors. This delay particularly diminished the risk appetite of US-based ETF investors.
Global investors, facing both political and technical pressures, began to adopt a defensive stance once again. The sharp sell-off in Bitcoin also ignited double-digit declines in leading altcoins such as Ethereum 
$2,316 and Solana 
$84.
