
Bitcoin tops $70K as short squeeze hits
Bitcoin climbed above $70,000 on Monday for the first time since March as traders rapidly unwound bearish positions despite ongoing uncertainty around Middle East ceasefire negotiations.
The rally was driven in part by more than $145 million in short liquidations over the past 24 hours, with forced buying accelerating gains as prices moved higher.
“Heading into the weekend, sentiment was heavily skewed bearish and short interest had built up across the market,”
Said Diana Pires, chief business officer at sFOX.
Bitcoin rose more than 4% to above $70,300 before trimming gains, while smaller tokens including Ether and Solana also advanced alongside the broader market.
“When markets opened today, the switching of shorts into equity futures and the covering of some positions caused a squeeze higher in illiquid conditions,”
Said Damien Loh, chief investment officer at Ericsenz Capital.
The cryptocurrency has traded within a roughly $60,000 to $75,000 range since late February amid escalating Iran conflict risks, with analysts noting persistent profit-taking and thin liquidity near the $70,000 to $80,000 band.
Institutional flows showed tentative recovery as US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds posted $22.3 million in net inflows last week, reversing nearly $300 million in outflows, though Glassnode noted participation remains subdued and stronger volume and capital inflows are needed to sustain the rally.
At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $68,951.36.