- The Federal Reserve left rate guidance unchanged, but hinted at further cuts and highlighted downside risks from softer job growth.
- Bitcoin futures liquidation maps show concentrated short positions at $118,000, signaling the potential for a rapid short squeeze.
Markets absorbed the Federal Reserve’s latest move with restraint. The FOMC left guidance unchanged but warned about softer job gains and a mild rise in unemployment. Even so, the statement kept the door open to another fifty basis points of cuts later in 2025, with timing still undefined.
Gold’s run to fresh highs above $3,700 earlier in the week raised fears of forced selling across crypto if the Fed disappointed. That scenario did not arrive.
Derivatives flow shows a contained reaction
Across the last twenty-four hours, total crypto liquidations reached $267.44 million: $178.64 million in longs and $88.81 million in shorts. Only $36.19 million cleared in the hour after the rate decision, a print that points to orderly positioning rather than capitulation.
For Bitcoin, the tape now turns on where leverage sits. Coinglass liquidation maps indicate $3.3 billion in active shorts versus $2.3 billion in longs. Moreover, more than thirty-five percent of long exposure clusters near $114,458, where about $814 million could be liquidated. Because intraday liquidations were far below that threshold, those positions remain intact for now, keeping $114,500 as the line traders defend.
On the upside, shorts gather around $118,000. There, more than $1.8 billion stands vulnerable. A push through that level would likely pressure sellers and could carry price toward August’s $124,500 peak. The path is narrow, yet clear: hold the floor near $114,500, or risk a spill toward lower supports; reclaim $118,000, and mechanical buying can take over.
Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $116,414, down a modest 0.19% in the last 24 hours. Over the past week, BTC has climbed 4.54%, though it remains slightly negative over the past month at -0.72%. On the yearly scale, however, Bitcoin is up a strong 93%, reaffirming its long-term bullish trend despite short-term volatility.
In the last 24 hours, BTC’s trading volume reached $47.45 billion, showing consistent liquidity and strong market participation. Price action has been volatile, rebounding from a recent low under $110,000 to a high of $117,272, a swing of more than $7,000, before stabilizing near current levels.
One of the most important developments is that GD Culture Group Ltd announced plans to acquire 7,500 BTC from Pallas Capital Holdings Ltd in a deal worth approximately $875 million. This acquisition is aimed at strengthening its crypto reserves and positioning itself among the largest institutional Bitcoin holders. Such large-scale accumulation highlights growing corporate adoption and confidence in Bitcoin as a long-term strategic asset.
On-chain data reinforces this bullish case. Bitcoin continues to trade comfortably above the short-term holder cost basis and has found strong support at its Realized Price. This suggests that recent buyers are still in profit, reducing immediate selling pressure and providing a cushion for further upward momentum.
Finally, macro still frames the backdrop. If labor data stays soft and policy eases later this year, dollar liquidity should improve at the margin. In that case, risk assets keep a tailwind. If not, expect choppier ranges while traders reduce exposure and wait. For now, Bitcoin sits between magnets. Option premiums reflect that two-way risk in the near term.
