$31 Million Bitcoin Long Emerges Amid $880 Million Liquidation Bloodbath

Bitcoin (BTC) cratered below $98,000 on Friday, wiping out all gains above $100,000 in a brutal 24-hour sell-off that triggered $880 million in leveraged long liquidations—the largest single-day purge since the March 2025 correction.

The cascade was fueled by profit-taking after BTC’s recent climb to $106,000, combined with renewed jitters over delayed U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts following hawkish comments from officials. Amid the chaos, a mysterious trader opened a $31 million long position with high leverage, betting aggressively on an imminent rebound. The trade, executed on a major derivatives platform, went viral across social media, with influencers like Vivek Sen and Crypto Rover hailing it as a contrarian signal of confidence, while risk managers cautioned against the extreme volatility in a market gripped by Extreme Fear.

What Triggered the $880 Million Liquidation Wave?

The sell-off ignited after BTC failed to hold $100,000 support, with $250 million in GBTC ETF outflows and $18,000 BTC net deposited to exchanges in 12 hours signaling mass deleveraging. On-chain data showed 920,000 BTC sold by long-term holders in 48 hours, while funding rates flipped to -0.12%, indicating short dominance. The $31 million long—opened at approximately $97,800 with 50x+ leverage—stood out as a high-conviction counter-bet, using USDT collateral and targeting a rapid bounce to $105,000+.

• Liquidation Breakdown: $880M total; $720M longs, $160M shorts
• Largest Single Hit: $18.4M BTC-USD long on Hyperliquid
• Volume Surge: 24h trading $82 billion (+380%)
• On-Chain Flows: 18K BTC to exchanges; whale outflows up 3%
• Fear Gauge: Fear & Greed Index at 12 (lowest since October)

Why the $31M Long Matters in 2025 Volatility

This $31 million contrarian bet arrives at a pivotal moment: Bitcoin dominance at 56%, altcoins bleeding 5–15%, and U.S. equities down 2.1% (S&P 500) on Fed uncertainty. The trade’s visibility—shared by influencers with 500K+ followers—amplifies its psychological impact, potentially catalyzing short covering if BTC reclaims $100,000. However, skeptics point to clustered liquidations below $95,000 as a liquidity trap, warning the position could face forced closure in a continued flush.

• Leverage Risk: 50x+ = $620K move wipes margin
• Market Sentiment: Extreme Fear (12); 47% green days in 30
• Institutional Context: $420M ETF outflows last week
• Historical Precedent: 2022: $30M longs liquidated at $16K bottom
• Bull Case: Rebound to $114,500 by November end (analyst consensus)

Trading Guide: Range-Bound & Catalyst-Driven

Conclusion The $31 million Bitcoin long amid $880 million liquidations, is a high-stakes contrarian signal in a market of Extreme Fear. While leverage remains dangerous, the trade’s visibility could spark a short squeeze if $100K reclaims.