Bitcoin slipped below the $80,000 threshold on Thursday, extending a multi‑day decline that was amplified by a sharp sell‑off in Asian equities and a hotter‑than‑expected U.S. consumer‑price index (CPI) report. The cryptocurrency, which had briefly held above $81,000, fell to $80,100 in early Asian trading, marking its lowest level since early October.
Asian market turbulence drags crypto lower
The trigger for the price drop was an abrupt rout in the region’s stock markets. South Korea’s KOSPI plunged 8%, its steepest decline since April, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 5% during morning sessions. CoinDesk reported that the KOSPI slide coincided with a 2.2% drop in the CoinDesk 80 index and a decline in all but six members of the CoinDesk 100. The sell‑off spread to crypto, with altcoins falling harder than Bitcoin; Cointelegraph noted that the KOSPI’s 7.5% fall on Thursday intensified “contagion” across digital assets.
U.S. inflation data fuels Fed rate‑hike speculation
Compounding the Asian pressure, U.S. September CPI rose 3.7% year‑over‑year, above most forecasts. The surprise revived market expectations of an October Federal Reserve rate hike, with betting odds briefly spiking to nearly 50% before easing. Investing.com and Moomoo both highlighted that the hotter inflation print pushed risk‑off sentiment, prompting investors to shift from volatile assets such as cryptocurrencies to safer havens.
Nearly $1 billion in crypto bets were liquidated as Bitcoin, Ether and XRP slid, with Ether accounting for almost 60% of forced closures.
The liquidation wave was documented by CoinDesk, which said that the combined forced closures across Bitcoin, Ether and XRP approached $1 billion. Ether’s share of liquidations was roughly double that of Bitcoin, reflecting its higher leverage among traders.
Crypto‑specific fallout: funds, miners and altcoins
Crypto‑focused exchange‑traded funds (ETFs) saw net outflows of $151 million since Monday, bringing total withdrawals to $262 million, according to Cointelegraph. Simultaneously, mining companies listed on U.S. exchanges—TeraWulf, Core Scientific, Cipher Mining and IREN—each fell more than 12%, marking “Wall Street’s worst sell‑off since July,” as reported by the same outlet.
Altcoins suffered steeper declines; the broader CoinDesk 80 index dropped 2.2%, and specific tokens such as Pepe (PEPE) and Bittensor (TAO) fell 4.7% and 7% respectively, reflecting the macro‑driven risk‑off environment. Meanwhile, traditional commodities displayed mixed reactions: copper and equity yields fell, while gold rose, underscoring the flight to safety.
Analysts caution that Bitcoin’s $80,000 level may act as a “liquidation trap.” CryptoSlate warned that a breach could push the price toward $78,000, testing the support built by recent whale accumulation. However, some market observers note that the $80,000 “buy wall” remains robust, and the cryptocurrency could find temporary stability if inflation data eases or if the Fed signals a more dovish stance.
Overall, the convergence of Asian equity weakness, unexpected U.S. inflation, and heightened leverage in crypto markets created a perfect storm that pulled Bitcoin and related assets toward the $80,000 mark. Traders and investors will be watching forthcoming Fed communications and any further macro data for clues on whether the digital‑currency rally can regain momentum.
Market Snapshot
| Asset | Price | 24h | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bitcoin BTC | $80,939 | -2.92% | $1626.7B |
 Ethereum ETH | $2,361 | -5.68% | $288.4B |
 BNB BNB | $720.1 | -2.99% | $95.9B |
 XRP XRP | $1.31 | -4.79% | $82.5B |
 Solana SOL | $102.2 | -4.49% | $60.2B |
 Dogecoin DOGE | $0.0803 | -4.78% | $12.5B |
 Cardano ADA | $0.222 | -5.54% | $8.3B |
Live data: CoinGecko — 2026-10-15 11:22 UTC
