Bitcoin Price Slips Below $90K as Leverage Unwinds, But Dip Buyers Watch Key Support Levels

The Bitcoin price showed a sharp pullback this week caught many traders off guard. After hovering near record highs, the world’s largest crypto slid below the $90,000 mark as a wave of leveraged positions was forced out of the market.

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The drop came amid rising global uncertainty, with investors reacting to geopolitical tensions, bond market stress, and renewed risk aversion across traditional assets.

By Tuesday, the Bitcoin price had fallen to around $87,800 before staging a modest rebound to around $89,000. While the move erased recent gains, market participants say the decline reflects more than just short-term volatility. It highlights how fragile sentiment can become when macro pressures and heavy leverage collide.

Leverage Unwinds Trigger Sharp Sell-Off

Data from CoinGlass showed that roughly $1.08 billion in crypto positions were liquidated over 24 hours, affecting more than 183,000 traders. Long positions made up about 92% of those liquidations, indicating that many traders had been positioned for further upside.

The largest single forced closure was a $13.52 million BTCUSDT position on Bitget, underscoring how crowded bullish bets had become. As prices slipped, automated liquidations accelerated the decline, pushing Bitcoin through key psychological levels.

This unwinding followed weeks of relative calm in crypto markets, during which the Bitcoin price had consolidated near its highs. Once selling pressure began, it quickly exposed how dependent recent price stability had been on leveraged positioning rather than fresh spot demand.

Macro Risks Weigh on Risk Assets

The crypto sell-off unfolded alongside broader market stress. U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats against European nations, tied to disputes over Greenland, revived fears of a trade war. Similarly, a sell-off in Japanese government bonds pushed global yields higher, tightening financial conditions.

U.S. equities also suffered their worst session since October, with major indices dropping more than 2%. Crypto-related stocks such as Coinbase, Strategy, and Circle posted steep losses, reflecting a wider shift away from risk-sensitive assets.

While the Bitcoin price and altcoins fell, gold and silver moved in the opposite direction. Gold traded near record highs above $4,800 per ounce, and silver also reached new peaks. The contrast suggested that investors were rotating into traditional safe havens as uncertainty grew.

Despite the volatility, Bitcoin has shown early signs of stabilization. Prices rebounded toward the $89,000–$90,000 area as pressure in bond markets eased and U.S. equity futures ticked higher. Still, analysts caution that the move looks more like a pause after forced selling than a clear return of risk appetite.

Technical indicators highlight the $87,000–$88,000 range as a critical support zone. A break below this level could open the door to further declines toward $85,000 or lower. On the upside, Bitcoin price faces resistance near $92,000 and $95,000.

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For now, traders are closely watching macro developments, including Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos and ongoing signals from global bond markets. Whether dip buyers step in with conviction may determine if Bitcoin can reclaim lost ground, or if the recent slide has further to run.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart on Tradingview