Bitcoin took a sharp hit Friday, falling to $75,120 and sliding below the $76,000 mark for the first time this week. The 2.8% daily decline triggered a wave of forced selling, with $209 million in long positions liquidated across exchanges. The move adds to a rough week — Bitcoin's losses now stand at roughly 5% over the past seven days.
Liquidations pile up
The $209 million in long liquidations hit leveraged traders hard. Most of the damage came from positions opened in the past 24 hours, when Bitcoin was still trading near $77,500. As the price dropped, cascading margin calls forced exchanges to close out positions, adding downward pressure. The liquidation data doesn't include off-exchange or OTC positions — the real figure is likely higher.
Weekly slide deepens
This week's 5% decline marks one of the worst stretches for Bitcoin in 2026. The sell-off has been steady rather than sudden, with daily losses accumulating since Monday. Friday's break below $76,000 is the biggest single-day move of the week. The price hasn't seen a weekly drop this steep since early March, when a regulatory scare sent markets tumbling.
For now, the selling shows no sign of letting up. With $209 million in longs already cleared out and the weekly candle still open, traders are watching to see if Bitcoin can hold above $75,000 through the weekend.
