
In a stunning turnaround,
Bitcoin (BTC), currently trading near $68,617 at peaks, hit $67,500 after weeks of pain. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index stayed stuck in “Extreme Fear” territory for most of February, showing how pessimistic traders had become. But now, that fear is flipping to hope.
Why the sudden shift? Crowded short positions. Perpetual futures funding rates – those small payments shorts pay longs to keep bets open – went negative several times recently. This overcrowding made the market ripe for a
Over $307 million in leveraged short bets got wiped out in the last 24 hours, according to data trackers. Yet, Bitcoin’s funding rates are still below neutral, meaning this isn’t wild speculation driving the move. It’s more like genuine relief buying.
Bitcoin’s gain lit a fire under altcoins.
These gains beat Bitcoin and the CoinDesk 20 Index, proving altcoins can lead when sentiment flips.
A
This isn’t new – remember past squeezes that sent BTC to all-time highs? Today’s action feels similar, but calmer without extreme leverage.
The rally spread to stocks. Stablecoin giant Circle (CRCL) soared 20% on strong earnings. Coinbase (COIN), MicroStrategy (MSTR) – the Bitcoin treasury play – and Galaxy (GLXY) each rose 5-6%.
Bitcoin miners, now linked to AI data centers, kept climbing:
Hedge funds had piled into shorts on these names, making them prime for squeezes.
Risk appetite is back in stocks too. The S&P 500 gained 0.6%, Nasdaq 100 rose 1.1%. Even software stocks, hit by AI worries, bounced via the iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV) up 2%.
This broad risk-on mood supports crypto’s move. When Wall Street buys dips, Bitcoin follows.
After 40+ days in the red, the Coinbase Premium Index flipped positive. It measures BTC price on U.S. exchange Coinbase vs. global average – a sign of U.S. institutional buying and fresh capital.
MicroStrategy (MSTR) outperformed BlackRock’s IBIT ETF by 12% year-to-date, despite BTC down 25% YTD. This shows smart money still loves leveraged Bitcoin plays.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $257.7 million inflows Tuesday – biggest since Feb 6. Institutions are dipping back in.
Not to miss out, XRP rose 6% after breaking $1.37. Exchange data shows strong spot demand from institutions and retail. ETF talks and accumulation hint at a bigger shift for Ripple’s token.
This
Traders should eye traditional markets for clues. More Nasdaq gains? Expect crypto to tag along. But remember, crypto is volatile – squeezes can reverse fast.
Stay tuned for more
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The post Crypto Rally Ignites: Bitcoin Climbs to $67K as ETH, DOGE, SOL Crush Shorts in Massive Squeeze appeared first on Blockmanity.