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Crypto Liquidations Top $1B as Bitcoin, Ether, Solana Sell-Offs Worsen

Strategy (MSTR) plunged as much as 10% and is now lower year-to-date.

Updated Sep 26, 2025, 7:13 a.m. Published Sep 25, 2025, 6:39 p.m.
Bitcoin falls despite coming rate cuts (Unsplash)
Crypto plunge worsens (Unsplash)

What to know:

  • Bitcoin fell below $109,000, marking its weakest price in nearly a month, while ether dropped 8% to approach $3,800.
  • The selloff triggered over $1.1 billion in liquidations across leveraged derivatives trading positions, with ETH longs leading at over $400 million, CoinGlass data shows.
  • Crypto equities, including Michael Saylor's Strategy, saw steep losses, with MSTR dropping as much as 10% to a five-month low.

A rough early session for crypto markets took a turn for the worse in U.S. afternoon hours Thursday, with bitcoin tumbling below $109,000, its weakest price in nearly a month.

Ether plummeted 8% through the past 24 hours rapidly approaching $3,800, erasing gains since early August. It's now has lost 22% since its record highs last month. Solana , changing hands above $250 only two weeks ago, plunged below $200, down another 8% today. The CoinDesk 20 Index was down 6%.

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The sharp move lower across the board triggered a widespread leverage flush on derivatives markets, liquidating over $1.1 billion worth of leveraged trading positions, CoinGlass data shows. Ether led liquidations with over $400 million long positions, or bets on higher prices, being wiped out, followed by bitcoin's $265 million.

Crypto liquidations over the past 24 hours (CoinGlass)
Crypto liquidations over the past 24 hours (CoinGlass)

Crypto equities also took a hit. Michael Saylor's Strategy (MSTR), the largest corporate owner of BTC, sunk as much as 10% during the session to five-month low. The stock, which is often seen as a leveraged bet on bitcoin's price, gave up all of this year's gains and is now 1.5% down year-to-date, while BTC is still holding on 16% advance during the same period.

Ether treasury firms Bitmine (BMNR) and Sharplink Gaming (SBET) were down 7%-8%,as were bitcoin miners MARA Holdings. (MARA) and Riot Platforms (RIOT).

With Thursday's nosedive, BTC is now on the brink of taking out the lows of late August-early September, when it bottomed just above $107,000. That price level could serve as support at least for a bounce, with order books also showing a liquidity cluster which could absorb selling pressure, CoinDesk reported on a Hyblock Capital analysis.

Read more: Here Are the 3 Make-Or-Break Bitcoin Price Floors as BTC Sell-off Gathers Steam

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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

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Gold tops $5,000 as bitcoin stalls near $87,000 in widening macro-crypto split: Asia Morning Briefing

Stacked gold bars (Scottsdale Mint/Unsplash/Modified by CoinDesk)

Bitcoin’s onchain data points to supply overhang and weak participation, while gold’s breakout is priced by markets as a durable macro regime shift.

What to know:

  • Gold’s surge above $5,000 an ounce is increasingly seen as a durable regime shift, with investors treating the metal as a persistent hedge against geopolitical risk, central bank demand and a weaker dollar.
  • Bitcoin is stuck near $87,000 in a low-conviction market, as on-chain data show older holders selling into rallies, newer buyers absorbing losses and a heavy supply overhang capping moves toward $100,000.
  • Derivatives and prediction markets point to continued consolidation in bitcoin and sustained strength in gold, with thin futures volumes, subdued leverage and weak demand for higher-beta crypto assets like ether reinforcing the cautious tone.