In a dramatic turn of events, Bitcoin fell to $81,058 on January 30, 2026, marking its lowest price since April 2025. This sharp decline translates to a staggering 35% decrease from its all-time high of $126,000 reached just a few months prior, erasing approximately $200 billion from the total crypto market in a mere 24 hours.
The selloff resulted in massive market liquidations, totaling $1.68 billion and impacting around 267,370 traders. Notably, long positions accounted for a staggering 93% of these liquidations, with Bitcoin leading the charge as over $780 million was wiped out in the downturn, while Ethereum saw $414 million in forced closures.
The Bitcoin liquidation saga was characterized by a single prominent closure—a whopping $80.57 million BTC-USDT position on the HTX exchange—highlighting the vulnerability even of larger players within the market.
Geopolitical Tensions Ignite Market Panic
A combination of geopolitical uncertainties has been identified as a primary catalyst behind this selloff. The United States recently escalated tensions in the Middle East by dispatching additional warships amid rising conflicts with Iran. In a statement, President Donald Trump expressed hope for diplomatic negotiations while simultaneously issuing a national emergency declaration aimed at imposing new tariffs on oil-related goods from Cuba.
“…Hopefully Iran will quickly “Come to the Table” and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!…” – President DONALD J. TRUMP
pic.twitter.com/H6qLbw3Ndi— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 28, 2026
These developments have generated significant uncertainty across both traditional and cryptocurrency markets, exacerbated by a sharp 9% decline in gold prices and an even steeper 11.5% drop in silver over the same timeframe.
Tech Earnings Pressure Weighs Heavily
Adding to the market challenges, Microsoft’s recent earnings report performed poorly, leading to a 10% drop in its stock value—its worst single-day decline since March 2020. Investors are concerned that weaknesses in technology, particularly in AI sectors, might trigger broader market impacts, spurring a pullback in risk across portfolios.
The aftermath of the Bitcoin crash has led to concentrated liquidations on various exchanges, most notably Hyperliquid, which recorded $598 million in liquidations—over 94% of which were long positions—followed by Bybit and Binance with $339 million and $181 million, respectively.
This cascading effect of forced sell-offs has created a self-reinforcing cycle. As Bitcoin’s price fell, more liquidation events compounded the decline, illustrating the risks associated with high leverage in a volatile market.
Currently, the market dynamics have reset open interest and funding rates, but the heavy concentration of long positions indicates the extent of speculative enthusiasm that had previously built up. As Bitcoin continues to hover around this critical support level, market participants are left wondering whether this dip signals a broader trend or a mere blip in the ongoing crypto saga.
