Bitcoin Returns Above $80,000 After 113 Days as Crypto Liquidations Reach $179 Million

Bitcoin briefly moved above the $80,000 level after 113 days, marking a significant return to a price threshold last reached on May 4, 2026. According to Binance market data, BTC reached a nearly three-month high before trading at around $79,174.

The move coincided with a sharp increase in cryptocurrency derivatives liquidations. Data from CoinGlass showed that total crypto liquidations over the previous four hours reached approximately $179.19 million, with short positions accounting for more than long positions.

The figures were reported in data shared by @WuBlockchain on X, providing a snapshot of Bitcoin’s latest price movement and the resulting activity across the broader crypto derivatives market.

Bitcoin Reclaims $80,000 After 113 Days

Bitcoin’s move above $80,000 represented its first return to the level since May 4, 2026. The 113-day gap marked a prolonged period in which BTC remained below the threshold.

According to Binance market data, Bitcoin reached a nearly three-month high during the latest move. The cryptocurrency was subsequently trading at around $79,174, putting it slightly below the $80,000 level at the time reflected in the data.

The movement illustrates the rapid changes that can occur in cryptocurrency markets when Bitcoin approaches major price levels. The $80,000 threshold had remained outside Bitcoin’s trading range since its previous break above the level in May.

Bitcoin’s return to the area also came alongside heightened activity in leveraged derivatives markets, where traders can face forced closures when market movements move significantly against their positions.

Crypto Liquidations Reach $179.19 Million

The Bitcoin price move was accompanied by substantial liquidations across the broader cryptocurrency market.

CoinGlass data showed that approximately $179.19 million in crypto positions were liquidated over the preceding four hours. Of that total, $78.99 million involved long positions, while $100.20 million involved short positions.

Short liquidations therefore accounted for the larger share of the total during the period covered by the data.

Liquidation occurs when a leveraged trading position is forcibly closed after the trader no longer has sufficient margin to maintain it. Such events can increase during periods of rapid price movement, particularly when traders have taken highly leveraged positions.

The liquidation figures covered the broader cryptocurrency market rather than Bitcoin alone. As a result, the reported $179.19 million total represents positions across crypto assets and trading venues tracked by CoinGlass.

Short Positions Face Larger Losses

The distribution between long and short liquidations provides additional context for the market’s latest move.

Short positions totaling $100.20 million were liquidated during the four-hour period, compared with $78.99 million in long positions. The difference indicates that traders positioned for declines experienced greater forced liquidations during the period measured.

The imbalance occurred as Bitcoin moved above $80,000, a level that had not been reclaimed since May 4. When an asset rises rapidly, traders holding leveraged short positions can face liquidation as the market moves against their expectations.

At the same time, the presence of $78.99 million in long liquidations shows that significant leveraged positions were also closed on the other side of the market.

Bitcoin Price Movement Draws Derivatives Market Activity

Bitcoin’s latest move combines two closely watched indicators: a return above a major price threshold and a spike in derivatives liquidations.

The cryptocurrency’s brief move above $80,000 came after 113 days below that level. Binance market data subsequently showed BTC trading at around $79,174, indicating that the price had moved back below the threshold in the latest snapshot.

Meanwhile, the $179.19 million in total crypto liquidations reported by CoinGlass highlights the level of leverage present across the market during the period.

The latest data do not provide a longer-term forecast for Bitcoin or establish how the cryptocurrency will trade following its return to $80,000. Instead, they capture a specific period of heightened market activity as BTC approached and briefly exceeded the closely watched level.

For traders and investors monitoring cryptocurrency derivatives, the combination of Bitcoin’s price movement and the distribution of liquidations offers a measure of how rapidly market positioning changed during the four-hour period.

According to data shared by @WuBlockchain, Bitcoin’s latest move above $80,000 marks its first return to the level since May 4, 2026, while approximately $179.19 million in crypto positions were liquidated over four hours.

Writer: Victoria Hale
Technology & Blockchain Writer

Victoria Hale writes about blockchain technology, digital infrastructure, and the intersection of emerging technologies with finance. Her articles explore how new protocols and systems are shaping the evolving digital economy.

She prioritises clarity and accuracy when explaining technical developments to a general audience.