Bitcoin Holds Near $66K as $339M Liquidations Hit, Exchanges Shed 11,236 BTC

Bitcoin News

Although the U.S. central bank left its policy rate unchanged in the 3.50%-3.75% range, the hawkish tone struck by new Chair Kevin Warsh — who put price stability front and center — triggered a fresh wave of selling in Bitcoin (BTC). In the session after the decision, the asset shed roughly 2.8% intraday, sliding to $63,964 and slipping below the $64,000 mark. Warsh stressed that the institution would now react to incoming data rather than lean on strong forward guidance, and reaffirmed a firm commitment to dragging inflation back toward the 2% target. Traders began pricing in a stronger chance of at least one 25-basis-point hike before 2026 is out, and appetite for risk assets visibly cooled.

Despite the macro headwinds, on-chain data shows large investors moving in the opposite direction. The combined balance held by wallets with more than 1,000 BTC climbed to 7.17 million BTC, the highest reading since March 14. The 2,044 addresses sitting above that threshold now control roughly 36% of circulating supply. After months of gradual selling, this cohort flipping back into accumulation drew attention; whales were seen ramping up purchases precisely as spot prices retreated to the flat support zone around $60,000. Reversing a distribution trend that had run for several months is being read as a structurally constructive signal, even as smaller investors keep panic-selling.

On the technical front, long-term holders have fixed their gaze on the 200-week simple moving average. Sitting near $62,358, that level has been breached only briefly twice in the past two weeks, with price reclaiming the average by each weekly close. Analysts highlight that since mid-2017, closes beneath this threshold have occurred on just 10% of trading days and have historically lined up with powerful buying opportunities. Investors who bought in those zones booked median returns above 113% after one year and more than 313% over a two-year horizon. Worth recalling: the all-time high of roughly $126,000 set in October 2025 — see all-time high (ATH) — remains a long way above current levels.

On the corporate side, Strategy shares came under pressure. The stock of the company formerly known as MicroStrategy fell 3.97% to $117.94 as expectations of further Bitcoin sales firmed up. A QCP Capital assessment noted that the firm may need additional liquidity down the line to cover dividend payments and other financial obligations, which could put fresh sales on the table. While part of any new funding is earmarked for an additional $100 million Bitcoin purchase, the note flagged that without fresh capital the company’s dividend capacity could be limited to about 7.5 months. Michael Saylor’s long-term holding philosophy resurfaced in the debate; analysts reckon a large-scale sale could weigh on both the BTC price and the stock.

Leverage was unwound rapidly in the derivatives market as well. Open-interest data shows Bitcoin and Ethereum together contracting by $1.7 billion in under 48 hours — one of the sharpest position resets since April 2026. On the Bitcoin side, the 24-hour open-interest swing flipped from plus $258 million to minus $620 million, a roughly $878 million reversal in direction. Altcoin leader Ethereum saw its figure drop from plus $131 million to minus $690 million. The move was not confined to a single venue; comparable position closures appeared on other major derivatives exchanges such as Bybit and Deribit, pointing to a broad de-risking wave rippling across the market.

Among the voices defending long-term optimism is one of Mexico’s wealthiest investors, Ricardo Salinas Pliego. The Grupo Elektra owner disclosed that he has allocated roughly 70% of his investment portfolio to Bitcoin and said he believes the asset will one day reach $1 million. Arguing that fiat currencies are destined to lose purchasing power over time, the billionaire recounted persuading his wife to mortgage their home and take out a loan to buy Bitcoin. Salinas pointed out that Bitcoin — worth about $400 in January 2016 — has vastly outperformed real estate, noting that a London house priced at 4,000 BTC back then could today be bought for fewer than 30 BTC.

According to COINOTAG’s 42-indicator composite support/resistance scoring engine (as of 09:51 UTC), Bitcoin is changing hands at $64,252, down 1.01% over the past 24 hours. Our engine rates the support at $61,856 as the firmest floor at 75 out of 100, backed by a confluence of the lower Keltner band and the POC (point of control), while it scores the resistance at $64,728 at 72/100 from Fibonacci 0.236 and LVN 5 sources. On the derivatives side, positioning is cautiously skewed to the upside, with a funding rate of 0.0032%, open interest of $11.57 billion and a long/short ratio of 1.76 (63.8% long). Despite an RSI of 38.81 and a bullish MACD signal, the trend remains to the downside; the Fear and Greed Index sits at 15, in extreme-fear territory. A bullish scenario requires reclaiming $64,728, while a close below $59,130 would validate the bear market thesis and invalidate the outlook.