Cryptocurrency February 4, 2026

Bitcoin tumbles to 15-month low as global markets undergo broad selloff

Cryptocurrency slips to roughly $72,000 amid synchronized selling that weighs on tech and other rate-sensitive sectors

By Derek Hwang
Bitcoin tumbles to 15-month low as global markets undergo broad selloff

Bitcoin fell to about $72,000, its weakest level in 15 months, as a market-wide decline pushed investors to liquidate positions. The cryptocurrency dropped as much as 5.4%, extending losses from earlier, crypto-focused liquidations and coinciding with a broader pullback in global equities, including a more than 2% slide in the Nasdaq 100 that hit software firms, chipmakers and other rate-sensitive segments.

Key Points

  • Bitcoin fell to around $72,000, a 15-month low and a level last seen on November 6, 2024.
  • The cryptocurrency dropped as much as 5.4% and has declined more than 40% since its October 2025 peak.
  • The selloff coincided with widespread market weakness, including a more than 2% fall in the Nasdaq 100 that impacted software, chipmakers and other rate-sensitive sectors.

By Derek Hwang

Bitcoin moved down to roughly $72,000 on Wednesday, marking its lowest price since early November 2024 and continuing a multi-month descent from its October 2025 peak. The world’s largest cryptocurrency recorded a decline of as much as 5.4%, touching $72,047 and reaching a level not seen since November 6, 2024 - the day after Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election. Overall, Bitcoin has lost more than 40% of its value since its high in October 2025.

Market participants had already seen cryptocurrency-specific liquidations earlier in the week that contributed to downward pressure. On Wednesday, however, the move lower appeared to be part of a wider market adjustment rather than being confined to digital-asset markets. Global markets experienced synchronized selling, a pattern that pushed major equity indexes lower and coincided with the slide in Bitcoin.

Within equities, the Nasdaq 100 fell by over 2% as losses spread across software companies, semiconductor makers and other sectors described in market coverage as rate-sensitive. That broader equity weakness appeared to coincide with the cryptocurrency’s renewed decline, suggesting the day’s moves reflected cross-asset risk aversion rather than only crypto-specific factors.

The combination of earlier crypto-focused liquidations and then a broader market selloff left Bitcoin at a 15-month low. The decline underscores the cryptocurrency's sensitivity to both intra-crypto market dynamics and episodes of wider financial-market stress, as risk assets across different markets moved lower in tandem on the day.

Disclosure: This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Risks

  • Continued synchronized selling in global markets could extend pressure on cryptocurrencies and tech-related equities - affecting software firms, semiconductor makers and other rate-sensitive companies.
  • Ongoing cryptocurrency-specific liquidations may amplify price declines in digital assets if market stress persists.
  • Cross-asset risk aversion during broad market selloffs can produce rapid repricing in both crypto and equity markets, increasing volatility for investors.

More from Cryptocurrency

Analysis: Paid crypto press releases heavily tied to high-risk and fraudulent projects, Chainstory finds Feb 4, 2026 Zeta Network Evaluates Tokenizing Real-World Assets as Part of Institutional Treasury Strategy Feb 4, 2026 KuCoin Integrates 'Hold to Earn' Into Trading Accounts, Letting Available Balances Accrue Rewards Feb 4, 2026 Raoul Pal Joins xMoney as Strategic Advisor to Guide Compliance-First Global Payments Push Feb 3, 2026 BLUFF Secures $21 Million to Accelerate Social-First Betting Platform Feb 3, 2026