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Crypto derivatives suffer $471m in 24-hour liquidations

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Crypto derivatives suffer $471m in 24-hour liquidations

A sharp volatility spike wiped out $471m in crypto derivatives positions in one day.

Summary

  • Total crypto liquidations over 24 hours reached about $471m across major exchanges.
  • Shorts absorbed the bulk of the damage, with $348m rekt versus $123m in long liquidations.
  • Bitcoin, Ethereum and other majors saw funding reset as overleveraged bearish bets were squeezed.

Crypto derivatives traders endured another brutal reset as roughly $471m in futures positions were liquidated over a 24-hour window, according to data.

Unlike many prior stress events, this wave hit short-sellers hardest, with about $348m in short liquidations compared to $123m from longs, suggesting that bears were caught leaning too aggressively into downside bets as prices rebounded. The skew was particularly pronounced in flagship contracts tied to Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), where a swift move higher forced exchanges’ risk engines to close underwater positions into rising markets.

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The liquidation pattern reflects a market where sentiment flipped from cautious to overly pessimistic before the latest rally. In the lead-up to the move, open interest had rebuilt as traders added fresh short exposure on the assumption that recent gains would fade. When spot prices broke higher instead, those trades were rapidly unwound, amplifying the upside through a classic short squeeze dynamic. The episode underscores how quickly positioning can turn and how reliance on high leverage—regardless of direction—exposes traders to abrupt, forced exits when liquidity thins and volatility spikes.

Leverage squeeze and positioning reset

In the aftermath of the $471m flush, derivatives metrics suggest that some of the froth on the short side has now been cleared, with funding rates normalizing and open interest stabilizing at slightly lower levels. For BTC and other large-cap assets, that reset may provide a cleaner backdrop for spot-led moves, reducing the immediate risk of another squeeze in either direction. However, the frequency of large liquidation events in recent weeks indicates that many market participants continue to run elevated leverage, quickly rebuilding directional bets once prices show a trend.

Exchanges are likely to face renewed scrutiny over headline leverage limits, margin policies and transparency around liquidation algorithms, particularly as institutional interest in derivatives grows alongside ETF and structured-product flows. Platforms like Coinbase, which emphasize regulated derivatives offerings, and policymakers advancing frameworks similar to MiCA will watch closely how these episodes impact market integrity. Until leverage metrics show a more durable decline, professional desks may keep gross exposure in check, use options to hedge tail risks, and monitor liquidation dashboards to avoid positioning where cascading forced selling or buying can quickly overwhelm order books.

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BTC is currently trading near $72,000, extending its rebound from last week’s pullback and reclaiming key resistance after testing lower support levels. The move toward $72,000 comes alongside a broader recovery in crypto majors, with renewed inflows into spot BTC products and higher derivatives activity signaling improving risk appetite. Market outlook for BTC remains cautiously bullish at these levels: trend structures have turned constructive again, but elevated volatility around $72,000 leaves room for sharp swings if macro or geopolitical sentiment deteriorates.

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Crypto World

Morgan Stanley Sets Bitcoin ETF Fee at Ultra-Low 0.14%

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Morgan Stanley Sets Bitcoin ETF Fee at Ultra-Low 0.14%

Investment bank Morgan Stanley is seeking to launch its spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund at a 0.14% fee, which would make it the cheapest in the US market and potentially force rivals to cut fees to stay competitive.

The 0.14% fee, proposed in Morgan Stanley’s latest S-1 registration statement on Friday, would be one basis point below the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC), currently the cheapest in the US market, and 11 basis points below the BlackRock-issued iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT).

“Big move here. They are not messing around,” Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart said, predicting that the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (MSBT) is “likely to launch in early April.”

Source: James Seyffart

Fellow Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said the low fee means that none of Morgan Stanley’s roughly 16,000 financial advisors — which manage $6.2 trillion in client assets — would feel conflicted in recommending the product to its clients.

Given that spot Bitcoin ETFs track the price movements of Bitcoin (BTC), Morgan Stanley’s ultra-low fee could spark a fresh fee war in the $83 billion market, putting immediate pressure on rivals to cut costs or risk losing assets.

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Regulatory approval would make Morgan Stanley the first bank to issue a spot Bitcoin ETF, expanding access to Bitcoin exposure for millions of its high-net-worth clients.

“They are the ultimate gatekeepers of rich boomer money,” Balchunas added.

Morgan Stanley previously selected Coinbase and Bank of New York Mellon as the proposed custodians for its Bitcoin ETF.

Morgan Stanley seeking suite of crypto ETFs, banking charter

Morgan Stanley, previously one of the more crypto-hesitant Wall Street firms, filed for the spot Bitcoin ETF in the first week of January, along with a Solana (SOL) ETF.

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Related: Bitcoin traders see 53% odds of sub-$66K BTC by April 24 

It then filed papers for a staked Ether (ETH) ETF later that week, and by the end of the month, the bank appointed one of Morgan Stanley’s longest-standing executives, Amy Oldenburg, to lead its digital asset team.

Source: James Seyffart

Morgan Stanley also applied for a national trust banking charter on Feb. 18, seeking to custody certain digital assets and execute purchases, sales and swaps for clients in addition to staking services.

In October, before the investment bank adopted its institutional crypto strategy, it recommended a 2% to 4% allocation to crypto portfolios for investors. It also allowed its financial advisors to recommend crypto funds to clients with individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 401(k)s.

Magazine: Bitcoin may face hard fork over any attempt to freeze Satoshi’s coins

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