Bitcoin Breaks Below $100K Again as $300M Liquidations Sweep the Market — Risk-Off Mood Tightens

Bitcoin sliding under the $100,000 mark wasn’t a surprise — but the speed of liquidations today shows the market is far more fragile than traders expected.

Bitcoin Drops Below $100K: What Triggered Today’s Slide?

On 14 November 2025, Bitcoin slipped under the $100,000 level, dragging the wider crypto market into a red zone. The decline came fast, with BTC moving from the ~$99K region toward $97K–$98K, forcing both retail and leveraged traders to unwind positions.

According to multiple market trackers, the sudden drop aligned with:

• Unwinding of global rate-cut expectations

• Risk-off sentiment across equities and commodities

• High leverage ratio on BTC perpetual markets

• Algorithmic selling after BTC lost $100K psychological support

This wasn’t a panic-driven event — it was a macro-driven realignment that crypto traders have been ignoring for weeks.

Over $300 Million in Liquidations — What Does This Signal?

Across major exchanges, the market witnessed an estimated:

• $300M+ worth of long positions liquidated

• Majority from BTC & ETH leveraged longs

• Altcoin liquidation clusters in SOL, XRP, and mid-cap L1 tokens

The liquidation wave wasn’t spread over hours — it was clustered within a short design window, revealing how sensitive the market is to macro triggers.

Why it matters:

High leverage increases volatility. When BTC tests levels near $100K, liquidation cascades can exaggerate even small price movements.

What traders often miss:

Most of the liquidations weren’t retail traders — they were over-leveraged whales betting on a macro-driven breakout that never came.

Macro Pressure: The Real Reason BTC Is Struggling

Bitcoin’s price movement today wasn’t isolated — other risk assets are showing similar patterns.

Key macro developments weighing on BTC:

• US Federal Reserve’s cautious stance on rate cuts

• Strengthening of the US Dollar Index (DXY)

• Oil and gold price swings creating capital rotation

• Global ETF outflows slowing compared to Q2–Q3 2025 peak

This is a classic risk-off environment, where speculative assets take the first hit.

Even though Bitcoin has matured, it still behaves like a high-beta macro asset during periods of uncertainty.

Ethereum & Altcoins Mirror the Fall

Just minutes after BTC dipped under $100K:

• Ethereum dropped under $5,100

• Solana and XRP saw sharper % declines

• Mid-cap DeFi tokens lost 4–7% intraday

Altcoins continue to show a dangerous pattern:

Bitcoin weakness = Altcoin purge.

Because retail exposure is heavier in altcoins, any BTC correction triggers a deeper altcoin washout.

Why the $100K Level Matters More Than Traders Admit

$100K is not just a round number. It influences:

• Derivatives margin requirements

• Institutional trading algos

• Mainstream media sentiment

• New retail entry triggers

Once BTC loses $100K support:

• Spot inflows weaken

• ETF volume softens

• Retail search volume drops

• Leverage resets lower

This is why BTC repeatedly “tests and rejects” key psychological zones.

Forecasting: What Happens Next?

Let’s break this into short-term, mid-term, and macro scenarios.

Short-Term (Next 7–10 Days)

• BTC likely ranges between $96K–$101K

• Lower leverage expected as exchanges raise margin

• Minor dead-cat bounces — not a full rally

• Altcoins remain under pressure

If BTC drops under ~$95K, expect another liquidation cluster.

Medium-Term (Rest of November)

• ETF inflow data becomes critical

• PCE inflation report could shift risk sentiment

• BTC can retest $100K–$105K if macro improves

• But resistance remains heavy due to trapped long positions

Macro Outlook (End of 2025)

This dip doesn’t change the long-term structure:

• Sovereign adoption (Luxembourg today)

• Institutional product expansion (21Shares ETF)

• Real-world adoption (Mastercard stablecoin rails)

Macro pressure is temporary. Infrastructure growth is permanent.

What Should Traders & Investors Focus On Now?

For short-term traders:

• Reduce leverage

• Track funding rates every 6 hours

• Use $95K and $101K as key decision points

• Avoid altcoin leverage completely

For long-term investors:

• This correction is normal

• Today’s macro action doesn’t impact long-term on-chain data

• Dollar-cost averaging during fear phases historically outperforms

• Watch institutional flows, not Twitter sentiment

For new entrants:

• Entering at psychological dips is better than entering at FOMO tops

• Use stablecoin pairs with low slippage

• Avoid panic — market fundamentals remain strong

Final Takeaway

Bitcoin slipping under $100,000 today isn’t a sign of collapse — it’s a macro-driven reset.

With $300M in liquidations shaking out leverage and global markets turning cautious, BTC is simply recalibrating.

The bigger picture remains intact:

• Governments are buying

• Institutions are launching ETFs

• Stablecoin infrastructure is expanding

• Adoption across APAC is booming

This dip may hurt short-term traders, but the long-term thesis hasn’t changed.

If anything, the ecosystem is stronger today than it was at BTC’s previous all-time highs.

See all our insights: Bitcoin World news