Bitcoin price crashed more than 6% to trade to near $62k on Thursday as August began on a painful footing for cryptocurrencies and stocks.
On August 1, the global cryptocurrency market cap fell to $2.3 trillion amid an overall 5.7% dump. BTC fell to lows of $62,300 across major crypto exchanges. The declines also hit Ethereum, which traded to lows of $3k and Solana that retreated sharply to touch $160.
XRP, Dogecoin and Pepe also experienced sharp declines.
Why did Bitcoin, crypto prices fall today?
Losses across the crypto market came as the stock market nosedived, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average shedding more than 600 points and the S&P 500 falling 1.5%. According to CNBC, the bloodbath across stocks follows fresh investor jitters around possible economic contraction on weak data released on Thursday.
Markets’ reaction also follows Wednesday’s Federal Reserve FOMC meeting, although analysts say the market has fully priced in a September cut.
Commenting on the overall outlook ahead of the sharp sell-off, analysts at Singapore-based firm QCP Capital noted:
“Crypto experienced a broad sell-off overnight and into this morning. The market remains on edge as traders pay close attention to daily ETH ETF outflows and further supply pressures from Mt Gox and US government.”
According to QCP, the long term picture remains bullish for Bitcoin. Key catalysts could be the upcoming US election and direction of the quest for a sovereign Bitcoin reserve for the US.
“The establishment of a U.S. or sovereign “put” on BTC prices may have significant implications, potentially making accumulation on dips a strategic investment approach,” QCP Capital added in the note posted on Telegram.
BTC traded around $63,007 at 2:40 pm ET on Thursday, up from intraday lows.
