Bitcoin falls below $72,000 as weak spot demand and long liquidations pressure price

Bitcoin slipped below $72,000 on 4 February, extending its recent downtrend and marking a fresh local low amid intensified selling pressure across spot and derivatives markets.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading around $71,800, down roughly 5% on the day, after briefly dipping to an intraday low near $71,700, according to TradingView data. 

The move places BTC at its weakest level since late 2024. It confirms a broader breakdown from the consolidation range that had held through much of January.

Spot market weakness deepens

Spot price action shows a clear sequence of lower highs and lower lows following Bitcoin’s failure to reclaim the $90,000–$92,000 resistance zone in mid-January. 

Since then, repeated sell-offs have pushed price through successive support levels, with $80,000 and $75,000 offering little sustained demand.

This weakness is reinforced by the Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index, which has remained firmly negative in recent sessions. 

The index, indicating U.S. spot demand, shows BTC trading at a discount on Coinbase relative to offshore exchanges. This suggests subdued buying interest from U.S.-based investors even as price declines.

Historically, prolonged negative readings on the premium index have coincided with periods of distribution rather than accumulation. This adds to the bearish near-term outlook.

Bitcoin long liquidations accelerate downside move

Derivatives data indicates that forced liquidations played a key role in accelerating the latest leg lower. 

Over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin liquidations totaled more than $235 million, with long positions accounting for approximately $198 million, according to Coinglass data.

The largest liquidation clusters were recorded on major exchanges, including Binance, Bybit, and Hyperliquid. Long positions were wiped out on these exchanges as BTC lost the $75,000 and $73,000 levels in quick succession. 

Short liquidations remained relatively limited, highlighting that the move was driven primarily by overleveraged bullish positioning rather than a short squeeze.

The liquidation heatmap also shows reduced open interest following the sell-off, suggesting leverage has been flushed from the system — though this has not yet translated into a meaningful price rebound.

Market context remains fragile

Bitcoin’s decline comes amid broader risk-off conditions across crypto markets, with altcoins also posting sharp losses and overall market sentiment remaining cautious. While volatility has increased, there are few signs of aggressive dip-buying at current levels.

From a technical perspective, traders are now watching the $70,000 psychological level as the next major area of interest. 

A decisive break below that zone could expose BTC to deeper downside. At the same time, any recovery attempt would first need to reclaim the $75,000–$78,000 range to signal stabilization.

Final Thoughts

• Bitcoin’s drop below $72,000 was driven by weak spot demand and heavy long liquidations rather than short-side pressure.
• Until spot buying improves and leverage resets further, downside risks are likely to remain elevated.