Long Traders Lose $17.3M as Bitcoin Stalls Below $77,000 on Iran Tension

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Bitcoin fluctuated betwixt $76,200 and $77,245, yet stabilizing astir $76,750. Despite the regular volatility (up 0.7%), it remained down astir 5% for the week, holding a market cap of $1.54 trillion.

Published: May 19, 2026, 3:51 PM

Long Traders Lose $17.3M arsenic  Bitcoin Stalls Below $77,000 connected  Iran Tension

Key Takeaways

  • Bitcoin fluctuated betwixt $76,200 and $77,245 arsenic Coinglass recorded a driblet successful crypto liquidations to $175M.
  • Renewed U.S.-Iran hostility erased a greeting rally, pushing the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 little by precocious Tuesday.
  • Markets brace for turbulence aft Trump reportedly acceptable a play deadline for Iran to hold to a deal.

Geopolitical Tension Stalls Momentum

Bitcoin traded sideways connected Tuesday, oscillating betwixt a debased of $76,200 and an intraday precocious of $77,245 arsenic planetary markets reacted to U.S. President Donald Trump’s postponement of strikes connected Iran. While the announcement doubly saw bitcoin surge past $77,000, momentum faded each clip soon aft the cryptocurrency tapped $77,200.

Market information amusement that aft breaching $77,200 for the 2nd clip astatine astir 3:49 a.m. EST, bitcoin began a gradual descent to an intraday debased of $76,181 astir 8 hours later. A speedy rally instantly followed, sending it up to $76,900 earlier bearish pressure forced a retreat to $76,750.

Despite the volatility, bitcoin was up 0.7% implicit 24 hours but down astir 5% implicit 7 days. The marginal summation lifted its marketplace capitalization to $1.54 trillion, which helped propulsion the broader crypto economy’s market cap to $2.64 trillion.

While planetary markets initially welcomed the postponement of the strikes, the alleviation rally rapidly evaporated. Renewed geopolitical friction flared arsenic media reports surfaced indicating that Iran had submitted a caller connection with maximalist demands. The uncertainty intensified pursuing reports that Trump had issued a play deadline for Iran to hold to a deal, reigniting fears of an imminent subject escalation.

That looming deadline choked retired the morning’s optimism. Wall Street reversed its aboriginal gains arsenic the trading league progressed, leaving the Nasdaq, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average each flashing reddish by precocious afternoon. Meanwhile, the vigor assemblage braced for turbulence, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude tracking conscionable beneath $105 a barrel.

Meanwhile, bitcoin’s level terms enactment connected Tuesday led to a marked alteration successful liquidated leveraged positions. Coinglass information shows that of the $37.6 cardinal successful liquidated leveraged positions, agelong bets accounted for $17.3 million. In contrast, astir $223 cardinal successful agelong bets were liquidated astir the aforesaid clip connected Monday. Overall, liquidations crossed the crypto marketplace topped $175 million, a drastic diminution from the much than $800 cardinal successful leveraged positions liquidated connected May 18.

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