Key Highlights
- Bitcoin surged past $80,000 to trade near $81,000, triggering over $457 million in short-position liquidations over 24 hours.
- Prominent miner Jiang Zhuoer forecasts a potential test of the $83,000–$84,000 resistance zone before a sharp correction to $72,000–$74,000.
- Short positions accounted for 89% of total liquidations in the past 24 hours, signaling a aggressive bearish squeeze.
Bitcoin Breaks $80,000 Barrier as Short Squeeze Accelerates
Bitcoin ($BTC) surged above the psychologically significant $80,000 level in recent trading hours, climbing rapidly from a consolidation range near $78,000 to reach approximately $81,000. The sharp upward move unleashed a wave of forced liquidations across cryptocurrency derivatives markets, with short positions bearing the brunt of the losses. According to on-chain and exchange data, the rally has wiped out hundreds of millions of dollars in bearish bets, underscoring the fragility of leveraged short exposure at current price levels.
Jiang Zhuoer Projects Next Resistance at $83,000–$84,000
Jiang Zhuoer, a well-known Chinese cryptocurrency miner and market analyst, noted in his latest analysis that Bitcoin has validated his earlier thesis by recovering without breaching the $75,000 support level. Zhuoer stated that the velocity of the current ascent increases the probability of Bitcoin testing the strong resistance zone between $83,000 and $84,000 in the next phase. However, he cautioned that such a move would likely set the stage for a subsequent sharp correction, as the liquidation of short positions at those elevated levels could exhaust buying momentum and trigger a reversal.
Analyst Warns of Correction Toward $72,000–$74,000 After Resistance Test
Zhuoer believes that once short positions are flushed out near the $83,000–$84,000 region, Bitcoin could retreat toward the $72,000–$74,000 range. This pullback, he argues, would then target long positions accumulated during the rally, creating a two-sided liquidation event that could reset market structure. The miner’s framework suggests a classic high-leverage washout pattern: an initial short squeeze to clear overhead supply, followed by a deep retracement to cleanse excessive long leverage before the next directional move.
Liquidation Data Reveals Magnitude of Short Squeeze
The scale of the short squeeze is evident in the liquidation metrics across major derivatives venues. In the most recent four-hour window, total liquidations reached $306.55 million, of which $286.14 million — approximately 93% — were short positions. Long liquidations during the same period amounted to just $20.41 million. Extending the horizon to 12 hours, total liquidations climbed to $411.62 million, with shorts accounting for $372.53 million versus $39.09 million for longs. Over the full 24-hour period, cumulative liquidations hit $515.05 million, with short positions representing $457.26 million (89%) and longs $57.79 million. The overwhelming skew toward short liquidations confirms that the rally was driven predominantly by forced covering rather than fresh spot demand.
Why This Matters
The current price action highlights the outsized influence of leveraged derivatives on Bitcoin’s short-term price discovery. With open interest remaining elevated across major exchanges, the market remains vulnerable to violent two-way moves as liquidation clusters act as magnetic price targets. Zhuoer’s projected $83,000–$84,000 resistance aligns with key technical levels, including prior local highs and dense liquidation clusters visible on exchange heatmaps. A successful breach could attract momentum-driven flows, but the subsequent correction risk to $72,000–$74,000 underscores the importance of risk management for leveraged traders. For longer-term holders, the sequence reinforces Bitcoin’s tendency to purge excess leverage before establishing sustainable trends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggered Bitcoin’s surge past $80,000?
The rally appears to have been fueled by a short squeeze in the futures market, where rapidly rising prices forced bearish traders to buy back positions, amplifying upward momentum. Over $457 million in short positions were liquidated in 24 hours.
What is Jiang Zhuoer’s price prediction for Bitcoin?
Jiang Zhuoer expects Bitcoin to potentially test the $83,000–$84,000 resistance zone before correcting sharply to the $72,000–$74,000 range as long positions are subsequently liquidated.
How significant were the recent liquidations?
Extremely significant. In the last 24 hours, total liquidations reached $515.05 million, with short positions accounting for 89% ($457.26 million). The 4-hour window alone saw $286.14 million in short liquidations versus only $20.41 million in longs.
