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Bitcoin Hits $79,000 as a 4,362% Liquidation Imbalance Confirms a Massive Short Squeeze

Wed, 22/04/2026 - 15:31
Bitcoin hits $79,214 as a 4,362% liquidation imbalance wipes out bears. With 97.7% of losses in shorts, the path to $96,600 BTC is now wide open.
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Bitcoin Hits $79,000 as a 4,362% Liquidation Imbalance Confirms a Massive Short Squeeze
Cover image via U.Today

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Bitcoin's rise to $79,214 as per Binance not only marked the highest price level since February, but also triggered a cascade of short position liquidations. According to CoinGlass, the resulting liquidation imbalance became one of the most aggressive this month at 4,362%.

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The move began amid declining oil prices, the S&P 500 holding at all-time highs, and a six-day streak of inflows into the U.S. BTC ETFs totaling $1.54 billion. However, the main "fuel" behind the push above $79,000 was not only buying pressure, but also the forced closure of bearish positions. 

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Liquidation heatmap in 1-hour, Source: CoinGlass

Decoding the 4,362% imbalance behind BTC's $79,000 move

CoinGlass data reveals a critical divergence: out of $34.23 million in total Bitcoin liquidations within an hour, a massive $33.46 million came from short positions. This means that 97.7% of all losses were borne by bears betting against the rally. Overall, in the past 24 hours, total market liquidations reached $394.32 million, with the overwhelming majority again hitting short positions. 

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The final element in this setup is the abnormally negative funding rate, which persists despite the rally. According to CryptoQuant data, with Bitcoin at $78,400, funding dropped to -0.02% - meaning bears are aggressively pressing the market, paying a 0.02% premium every eight hours, or about 22% annually, just to maintain short exposure.

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Bitcoin price action on afternoon April 22, Source: TradingView

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At the moment, BTC is consolidating around $79,000. As previously reported by U.Today, on the weekly timeframe, Bitcoin has opened a path toward $96,600 after breaking above the Bollinger Bands midline. Whether bears have enough resilience to stay in the market longer than price moves against them remains the key intrigue.

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