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Bitcoin dropping below $80,000 "a glaring reminder of crypto’s wild swings"

ended 28. February 2025

Bitcoin is taking a pummelling, crashing through $80,000 today. Newspage asked FS experts what's causing the ongoing price collapse, whether now is the time to buy or if this is affirmation of the extreme volatility of crypto — and a reason to avoid. Views below.

3 responses from the Newspage community

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Bitcoin’s reign as the king of crypto is under threat and the crypto market is scrambling to make sense of the chaos now that $80,000 has been breached. This downturn is not merely a reflection of inherent market volatility but underscores the significant impact that macroeconomic events are having on the digital currency. The escalating geopolitical tension stemming from Trump’s aggressive trade policies has injected renewed uncertainty into global markets, leading to risk-off sentiment among investors. Additionally, the recent security breach at Bybit, wrestling in the theft of approximately $1.5 billion worth of ETH, has eroded already fragile investor confidence. Compounding these issues, the Fed's current monetary policy outlook plays a pivotal role in shaping Bitcoin's trajectory, with institutional investors reallocating capital towards more stable returns, exerting downward pressure on Bitcoin's price, and amplifying the broader challenges facing the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
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Bitcoin’s plunge below $80,000 stems from a blend of causes. Trump’s tariff threats, 25% on Canada and Mexico, and 10% on China have jolted markets into a sentiment of risk aversion that’s dragging down stocks, commodities and crypto alike. A $1.5 billion Ethereum hack at Bybit has also shaken trust, while macroeconomic and geo-political jitters and institutional ETF sell-offs add fuel to the ‘doom and gloom’ fire. Beyond tariffs, the hack and geopolitical risks, it’s a classic volatility spike. Bitcoin has dropped over 33% in the last month, testing old price support levels. No clear catalyst like an ETF approval is in sight to lift it soon. Is it time to buy? History says dips like this often precede recoveries and crypto fans will suggest long-term adoption trends still hold. But this is also a glaring reminder of crypto’s wild swings. If you’re buying, it’s a bet on resilience, not stability—high risk, high reward.
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The current price action suggests Bitcoin is a long way from being "digital gold". It's more like a turbocharged speculative asset, with a high correlation to tech stocks. If it falls all the way back to where it was at the time of the US election, it will be a real test of conviction for those who thought President Trump would usher in a new era of growth for Bitcoin.