Bitcoin struggled to find direction during Tuesday’s Wall Street open, as a wave of selloffs in Asian technology stocks sent ripples through global risk assets. The price of BTC remained volatile in the short term, mirroring uncertainty in equity markets. Notably, crypto liquidations surged to as much as $1 billion over the past 24 hours, standing out as one of the day’s main headlines.
Bitcoin slips below $62,000 twice amid risk-off mood
According to TradingView data, the BTC/USD pair moved indecisively on lower timeframes. The $62,500 level emerged as a closely watched threshold, but Bitcoin tested lows below $62,000 twice during the session, largely under pressure from weakness in Asian markets.
Losses also played out in equities, with the S&P 500 down 1% and the Nasdaq Composite falling 1.3% at the time of reporting. While the pullback in US markets was milder compared to the selloff in Asia, the deterioration in overall risk appetite weighed heavily on crypto assets.
The Kobeissi Letter noted that anticipation for Micron Technologies’ third-quarter guidance, set to be released Wednesday, was one of the key factors fueling increased volatility.
Micron’s earnings guidance and leverage drive volatility
Market analyst The Kobeissi Letter shared that the current turbulence is being shaped not only by equity selloffs but also by expectations surrounding semiconductor giant Micron Technologies. Micron, renowned for its memory and storage solutions, is under close investor scrutiny ahead of its forward-looking forecasts.
Glossary: Q3 earnings guidance refers to companies’ projections for revenue, profit, or demand in the upcoming third quarter, which often trigger market reactions as much as actual results.
Kobeissi also pointed to legal concerns around unrealized gains in South Korean markets and increased use of leverage by investors as contributing factors in the recent downturn. This double-edged volatility has amplified price swings in both directions and partly explains the S&P 500’s 60-point recovery from its opening lows.
Crypto liquidations spike sharply
Despite Bitcoin largely trading in a tight range, it saw abrupt and sharp moves near key liquidity zones. These quick swings resulted in the liquidation of both long and short positions. Data from CoinGlass shows that total crypto liquidations reached approximately $700 million over 24 hours.
Trader Daan Crypto Trades highlighted that Bitcoin failed to hold above $65,000, after which the price rapidly dipped below $62,000 to trigger liquidity hunts. Meanwhile, analysis from CryptoReviewing underscored an unusual imbalance in liquidity between long and short positions, reporting that 24-hour cumulative liquidations approached $1 billion by Tuesday.
CryptoReviewing observed that the unusual discrepancy in liquidity between long and short positions could pave the way for a potential move that might please bullish investors in the next stage.
With $62,500 now a focal price level in the short term, global stock market volatility and anticipation for corporate earnings reports are expected to keep exerting pressure on Bitcoin. Analysts suggest that both macro risk appetite and heightened leverage could be decisive factors shaping the cryptocurrency’s next moves.
