$19B Liquidated in 12 Hours as Longs Collapse

The crypto market just faced one of the most aggressive liquidation waves in recent memory. Over the past 12 hours, more than $19 billion in leveraged positions were liquidated, catching thousands of traders off guard. The most shocking part? A staggering $16 billion of that came from long positions.

This sudden flush‑out has led to extreme volatility, with prices of major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins nosediving within hours.

Long Traders Take the Biggest Hit

Long positions—bets that the market would go up—were the most affected in this liquidation event. As crypto prices fell sharply, those overly leveraged on long trades were wiped out in quick succession. Many retail and institutional traders underestimated the downside risk in current market conditions, leading to massive losses.

Data from major exchanges shows cascading liquidations across derivatives platforms, highlighting how tightly leveraged the market had become in recent weeks.

Why Did This Happen?

This massive sell‑off didn’t come out of nowhere. It followed a mix of macroeconomic stress, including renewed geopolitical tensions, declining investor confidence, and recent tariff threats from political figures like Donald Trump. Together, these factors created the perfect storm for leveraged positions to implode.

Analysts are now urging caution as market sentiment has turned highly bearish. With liquidation levels this high, recovery may take time unless strong buying support returns.