Quick overview

Live BTC/USD Chart

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A selloff led by Bitcoin has erased nearly half a trillion dollars from the crypto market in less than a week. The total value of the entire cryptocurrency market has dropped by $468 billion since January 29, according to CoinGecko data. Tuesday saw Bitcoin fall to its lowest point since US President Donald Trump was re-elected in early November 2024 and a more pro-crypto administration took office.

The cryptocurrency recovered slightly on Wednesday, trading at about $76,600 at 6:50 a.m. after hitting a 15-month low of $72,877 earlier in the day in London. Bitcoin has declined roughly 40% since reaching a record high in early October, despite a pro-crypto White House and increasing institutional adoption.

The decline follows a devastating series of liquidations on October 10 that wiped out leveraged token wagers worth $19 billion, from which the larger crypto market has not yet recovered. These drops come after a turbulent week for international markets, which also experienced significant fluctuations in gold and silver.

Cryptocurrencies did not find support on Tuesday, but precious metals saw buyers after recent losses. Rising tensions between the US and Iran prompted investors to seek safe investments, leading to declines in both Bitcoin and US stocks. The fall in Bitcoin raises questions about its role as a “digital gold,” as it has not served as a safe haven during times of increased geopolitical uncertainty.

This week, investor Michael Burry warned that Bitcoin has not proven to be a hedge like precious metals and instead is a purely speculative asset. Over $700 million in bullish and bearish crypto bets have been liquidated in the perpetual futures market in the past day, bringing the total loss since January to over $6.67 billion, according to CoinGlass data.

Bitcoin exchange-traded funds with US listings continue to experience volatile flows, with net inflows of roughly $562 million.