Crypto Weekend Bloodbath: Bitcoin Slips Below $80K as Liquidations Spike (Jan 2026) 

Crypto had a rough weekend. On Saturday, January 31, 2026, Bitcoin fell below $80,000, and Ether dropped sharply, as traders moved into “risk-off” mode and leveraged positions got forced out. 

Quick snapshot (what markets saw)

• Bitcoin (BTC): down 6.53% to $78,719.63 (Saturday afternoon, US time). 

• Ether (ETH): down 11.76% to $2,387.77. 

• Liquidations: around $1.68B in 24 hours, with about 93% coming from long positions (crowded bullish bets). 

Why did this crash happen? (Easy explanation)

Think of it like this: when too many traders are overconfident + leveraged, a small drop becomes a chain reaction.

1) Leverage flush (the real engine)

Reports pointed to a mechanical unwind: prices slipped → margin calls hit → forced selling kicked in → prices fell more. Bitcoin alone was linked to roughly $780M in forced liquidations, and Ether saw over $400M wiped out (as reported). 

2) Fed leadership headlines changed the mood

After Donald Trump picked Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair, the US dollar strengthened and markets started pricing a tighter liquidity risk—bad for high-beta assets like crypto in the short run. 

3) Weekend liquidity = bigger moves

Weekend order books are usually thinner. That means once stops/liquidations start firing, the move can look “extra violent” compared to weekday sessions. 

Nishi’s takeaway (Prime Edition style)

This was less about “crypto story is over” and more about positioning getting reset.

For the next 1–2 sessions, watch:

• $80K zone on BTC (psychological + liquidity area) 

• ETF flow headlines + dollar strength (risk sentiment) 

• Liquidation intensity (if it cools, volatility also cools) 

Disclaimer: Educational news explainer only. Not financial advice. Crypto is highly volatile—risk management matters.