Bitcoin Tests $82,000 After $135M Leveraged Liquidations

Bitcoin tested the $82,000 level on Monday after peaking at $82,458 late Sunday. The token began the day just under $80,700, climbed through the morning and met resistance at $81,250 at 9:20 a.m. ET. Prices fell to $80,536 within an hour, then rallied to intraday highs above $81,840 around 12:20 p.m. By 1:44 p.m. ET bitcoin remained above $81,500 and was poised to challenge the $82,000 mark. Over 24 hours bitcoin was up about 0.3% and less than 2% for the week, with a market capitalization near $1.64 trillion.

Data show nearly $135 million in leveraged bitcoin positions were liquidated over the 24-hour period. Long positions accounted for about $88 million of the forced exits. The liquidations followed rapid price swings during the morning session.

U.S. equity markets were mostly flat after gains on Friday. Market participants pointed to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East as a factor. President Donald Trump called Iran’s latest peace proposal “unacceptable,” and Brent crude briefly rose to about $105 per barrel.

On an earnings call, Aramco Chief Executive Amin Nasser warned that a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz would delay a return to normal oil supply. “If the Strait of Hormuz opens today, it will still take months for the market to rebalance, and if its opening is delayed by a few more weeks, then normalization will last into 2027,” he said, adding that extended disruption could raise the risk of a global recession.

Traders noted that the oil-price reaction and political statements contributed to shorter-term risk aversion, which fed into crypto market volatility. The late-Sunday rally that pushed bitcoin above $80,000 represented a recovery from earlier levels, while intraday reversals on Monday highlighted selling pressure near the low $82,000 area.