Bitcoin price moved sharply over the past sessions, trapping leveraged traders across both sides of the market. On Apr. 28, Bitcoin price surged to $79.5K before reversing to $75K, triggering forced liquidations. This move followed aggressive liquidity hunting near resistance levels, as market makers exploited crowded positions. The broader context showed Bitcoin price reacting to macro uncertainty ahead of the Federal Reserve decision.
Traders positioned around key liquidity zones as volatility rose, with derivatives markets driving short-term direction. This shift occurred because leverage built rapidly across both long and short positions, creating unstable conditions.
Data shared by Seth_fin on X showed that 75,021 traders were liquidated during the move. With this, the total losses reached to $224.93 million.
The liquidation cascade followed a brief push higher that cleared short positions before reversing sharply lower. That reaction mirrored typical liquidity sweeps seen during high-leverage environments.
Liquidation maps indicated large clusters above and below the current range, shaping short-term price behavior. The same dataset showed $4.38 billion in short liquidations stacked above $80K.
At the same time, $1.9 billion in long liquidations remained below $75K. These levels created a compression zone where price moved to trigger both sides.
CryptoCacheTrading data showed that whale sell orders concentrated near the mid-range acted as immediate resistance.
Roughly $8.5 billion in sell pressure accumulated around $77.5K, limiting upward momentum. This buildup suggested large players were distributing into strength rather than chasing higher prices.
Source: X
The move followed increased order book activity that aligned with previous resistance zones on the chart.
As price approached these levels, selling pressure intensified, preventing sustained upside continuation. That reaction mirrored earlier distribution phases where large holders exited positions into liquidity.
KillaXBT analysis suggested that Bitcoin price remained structurally weak despite short-term rebounds. The analyst noted that price stayed below $79.4K.
They maintained downside risk toward the previous weekly open. This projection aligned with expectations of a retest near $73.7K within the next sessions.
BTC/USD price chart | Source: X
The setup developed as liquidity built ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Short-term consolidation occurred as traders waited for macro signals before committing to directional moves. This shift occurred because market participants reduced exposure during high-impact events.
AbstractRyu’s on-chain analysis highlighted deeper structural factors affecting Bitcoin price cycles. The data showed that Spent Output Profit Ratio metrics often failed to capture distribution phases accurately.
In previous cycles, long-term holder selling reduced momentum even when indicators suggested stability.
Bitcoin realized cap UTXO age bands | Source: CryptoQuant
This analysis pointed to structural limitations in interpreting on-chain averages during late-cycle conditions.
High transaction volume from short-term holders diluted meaningful signals, masking underlying selling pressure. That reaction explained why price could weaken despite neutral indicator readings.
Bitcoin price now faced a narrow range defined by liquidity clusters and macro catalysts. The next move depended on whether price reclaimed resistance or broke below support levels.
A sustained break below $73.7K would likely accelerate downside momentum, while reclaiming $79.4K could shift short-term sentiment.
The post Bitcoin Price Trap At $79K Wipes $224M As $80K Looms Next appeared first on The Market Periodical.


