Bitcoin Price Forecast - BTC-USD Slumps to $112,725 as $1.7B Liquidation Hits, Market Cap Shrinks to $2.24T

Bitcoin Price Forecast - BTC-USD Slumps to $112,725 as $1.7B Liquidation Hits, Market Cap Shrinks to $2.24T

BTC-USD retreats from $117,968 peak; Fed policy, Powell’s remarks, and $112K support will decide if the next move targets $110K or rebounds toward $118K | That's TradingNEWS

TradingNEWS Archive 9/22/2025 3:53:04 PM
Crypto BTC/USD BTC USD

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) Slides Toward $112,700 as Longs Get Wiped Out

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) is trading at $112,725, down 2.5% on the session, after a rejection near $117,968 triggered one of 2025’s largest liquidation events. More than $1.7 billion in crypto positions were flushed in just 24 hours, with long traders losing $1.62 billion, making it the biggest wipeout of the year. The collapse erased nearly $110 billion in market cap, dragging Bitcoin’s valuation down to $2.24 trillion.

The scale of the drop exposed the fragility of recent gains. Bitcoin’s daily trading range between $111,986 and $115,776 shows that volatility is running hot, and the consolidation band at $112K–$113K has become the battlefield where bulls and bears are clashing.

Daily Chart Signals: Bearish Engulfing Candle From $117,968 Peak

On the daily timeframe, BTC produced a bearish engulfing candle after failing to hold above the critical $117K–$118K resistance zone. The rejection carried price sharply lower to $111,986, briefly slicing through the 100-day EMA at $111,882, before rebounding to current levels near $112,700.

The technical structure now presents two immediate scenarios:

  • If Bitcoin reclaims and holds $113,500, it could stage a rally back toward $116,000–$117,500.

  • If $112,000 breaks, price could accelerate lower toward $110,000 and potentially $107,200.

Momentum indicators lean bearish: the RSI at 44 has slipped below neutral, the MACD crossed negative, and shorter-term moving averages (10, 20, 30, 50) all hover above spot price, reinforcing downward pressure. The only supportive signals come from the 100-day and 200-day EMAs, which remain aligned for long-term bullish structure.

Short-Term Frames Show Liquidity Trap and Capitulation

On the 4-hour chart, BTC collapsed from $117,968 to $111,986, breaking its ascending parallel channel and invalidating the bullish trendline. Volume spiked at the lows, often a sign of capitulation. The $112K–$113.5K zone has now become a key pivot: a breakout above $113.5K could quickly lift price to $115K–$116K, while failure would expose liquidity pools around $107K.

On the 1-hour chart, Bitcoin trades in a narrow band between $112,500 and $113,000. A high-volume breakout above $113,300 could ignite short-term gains toward $114,500–$115,000, but traders are placing stops just under $112,000 to hedge against another breakdown.

Record Long Liquidations Reset Leverage

Data from Glassnode and CoinGlass confirms that the September 22 crash wiped $1.7 billion in positions, the largest liquidation cluster of 2025. Most of the pain landed on longs stacked in the $111K–$114K range, as the rejection at $117K was a textbook liquidity sweep.

While painful, such events often clear excessive leverage and allow new accumulation. Open interest collapsed by nearly $2 billion, and funding rates reset lower. If fresh buying emerges around $112K, it could mark the base for a more sustainable recovery.

Macro Environment: Fed Policy, Powell’s Speech, and Inflation Data

The selloff unfolded against a tense macro backdrop. The Federal Reserve’s 25bp rate cut last week initially fueled a push to $118K, but Chair Jerome Powell’s careful comments undermined hopes for a rapid easing cycle. Yields on the 10-year U.S. Treasury sit at 4.148%, keeping risk assets under pressure.

Markets are pricing in a 92% probability of another 25bp cut on October 29, but the outcome hinges on Friday’s PCE inflation index, the Fed’s preferred gauge. A soft print could spark a relief rally in BTC, while hotter inflation would reinforce resistance at $117K.

Adding intrigue are political rumors circulating about a potential U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) announcement. If the Trump administration signals intent to adopt BTC as a reserve asset, institutional demand could spike overnight. Galaxy Digital’s Alex Thorn argues the market is underestimating this risk.

Institutional Accumulation: Strategy (MSTR) Adds 850 BTC

Corporate adoption remains a powerful force. Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), the Bitcoin treasury giant formerly MicroStrategy, purchased 850 BTC last week for $99.7M at an average of $117,344 per coin. The firm now controls 639,835 BTC, valued at $72 billion at today’s price, representing more than 3% of total supply.

Its total cost basis is $47.3B, or $73,971 per BTC, leaving MSTR with $25B in unrealized profit despite the correction. Shares of MSTR fell 2.5% today, reflecting market concerns, but its Bitcoin exposure remains massively profitable. This insider-style treasury positioning reinforces BTC’s role as a strategic asset on corporate balance sheets.

Altcoin Carnage Adds to Market Stress

Bitcoin’s decline dragged the broader market lower. Ethereum (ETH-USD) plunged 6.9% to $4,174, XRP (XRP-USD) fell 4.2% to $2.84, and Solana (SOL-USD) tumbled 7.4% to $220. Meme tokens were hit hardest: Dogecoin (DOGE-USD) collapsed 10% to $0.24, while Pepe and $TRUMP shed nearly 9%. In total, the crash erased over $1.7B across altcoins, further amplifying bearish sentiment.

Cycle Dynamics: Pre-Euphoria Signals vs. Breakdown Risks

On-chain data suggests Bitcoin may still be in a “pre-euphoria” phase of its cycle. Long-term holders remain profitable and continue to accumulate, while short-term traders are bearing losses. Historically, this divergence has preceded new parabolic runs.

Yet technical structures warn of fragility. The breakdown from the parallel channel and rejection at $117K point toward a corrective phase. A failure to hold $112K–$113K would confirm a drop toward $110K–$107K, and potentially $100,600.

For bulls, the case rests on defending $112K and reclaiming $113,500 quickly, which could reset momentum toward $117,500 and eventually challenge the all-time high near $124,000.

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