Bitcoin’s Price Plunge: Leverage Liquidation Sparks Market Reset—Here’s Why It’s Healthy

Blood in the streets? More like spring cleaning. Bitcoin's latest correction—triggered by cascading leverage liquidations—is flushing out weak hands and setting the stage for the next leg up.

Why leverage matters now

Excessive derivatives positions created a house of cards. When BTC broke below key levels, overcollateralized traders got margin-called faster than a hedge fund intern ordering oat milk lattes.

The silver lining

This reset vaporizes speculative froth—just like post-halving cycles historically do. Remember 2021's 53% drawdown before the 237% rally? Wall Street's still trying to short this with their 'risk-off' playbooks from 2018.

Bottom line: Volatility isn't a bug—it's Bitcoin's feature. The market's self-correcting mechanism just kicked in. Again.

TLDR

• The crypto market has lost over $1.1 trillion in value in the last 41 days, with Bitcoin down 25%.
• Analysts believe the downturn is a structural reset caused by leverage, liquidity rotation, and mechanical market flows.
• Bitcoin’s recent price decline began with institutional outflows and was followed by leverage-driven liquidations.
• Despite the drop, institutional interest in crypto remains strong, with companies like Citibank and JPMorgan testing stablecoins.
• Glassnode reports that distribution pressure is easing, signaling a possible market rebound.

The crypto market has lost over $1.1 trillion in value over the past 41 days, averaging a daily loss of $27 billion. Analysts argue that this downturn is not a bearish collapse but a structural reset driven by leverage, liquidity rotation, and mechanical market flows. Despite Bitcoin’s 25% drop over the past month, experts believe the crypto market’s fundamentals remain intact.

BTC Price Decline Due to Leverage and Liquidation

Bitcoin’s price has fallen by 25% over the last month, but analysts insist there is no significant negative catalyst behind the decline. The downturn began in late October amid institutional outflows, followed by a leverage-driven liquidation cascade. As many traders use 20x–100x leverage, even small moves in the BTC price can trigger massive liquidations, amplifying volatility.

What is happening in crypto?

Over the last 41 days, crypto has erased -$1.1 trillion in market cap, or -$27 billion PER DAY.

Crypto market cap is now ~10% BELOW levels seen during the record -$19 billion liquidation on October 10th.

This is a structural move. Let us explain. pic.twitter.com/5JXKFSCPXV

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) November 16, 2025

John D’Agostino, Head of Institutional Strategy at Coinbase, highlighted that there are no new adverse developments in the crypto space. He said,

“Nothing material has changed in the underlying picture of crypto since late September.”

This suggests that the market’s decline is driven by mechanical factors rather than a shift in crypto fundamentals.

Several large institutions have continued to show strong interest in crypto, even as the BTC price slides. For example, Citibank and JPMorgan have recently begun testing stablecoins, signaling growing institutional engagement with the market. The BTC price may have fallen, but the long-term outlook for crypto remains solid in the eyes of institutional investors.

Long-Term Holders Absorb 186,000 BTC Amid Decline

Despite the decline in BTC prices, institutional investors are still stepping in. Glassnode reports that distribution pressure is easing across key holder groups, indicating the worst selling may be behind.

Distribution pressure is beginning to ease across key cohorts. After weeks of heavy spending, several holder groups are now moderating their selling, a sign that the most aggressive supply may be starting to fade as $BTC trades -25% off the highs.
https://t.co/no3Wcgh0rR pic.twitter.com/CrhtSr3LGn

— glassnode (@glassnode) November 17, 2025

Similarly, long-term holders have absorbed 186,000 BTC since October 6, according to CryptoQuant data. This absorption suggests that long-term capital is entering the market while sentiment remains negative.

The Biggest BTC Accumulation… in the Middle of a Selloff

“Long-term capital is stepping in aggressively, while short-term sentiment is capitulating.” – By @MorenoDV_ pic.twitter.com/m2M4VPhm4h

— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) November 17, 2025

Analysts highlight that such periods of divergence, when smart money enters during price slumps, rarely last long. The influx of BTC from long-term holders could signal the beginning of a significant rally as supply tightens. With the BTC price already down 25% from its highs, the market could be setting up for a recovery.

The solana ETF’s strong performance further validates institutional demand, despite BTC’s volatility. This performance suggests that interest in crypto assets remains strong, even amid price declines. As institutional money continues to enter, the market could be poised for a potential rally once current volatility subsides.

Analysts see two high-probability outcomes for Bitcoin’s future: a powerful rally or a final washout. If supply continues to dry up and smart money continues to distribute higher, a rally could follow. On the other hand, a final washout may occur, clearing out any remaining bearish sentiment before a durable trend emerges.