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United States bitcoin slide sparks $1.5 billion liquidations

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United States bitcoin slide sparks $1.5 billion liquidations

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United States – On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, the global cryptocurrency market came under intense pressure as bitcoin dropped below the key $66,000 level, unleashing a wave of forced selling and more than $1.5 billion in liquidations within a few hours. Data from digital asset tracking platforms showed that over 440,000 trading accounts suffered automatic margin liquidations during the slide, with leveraged long positions accounting for more than 70% of the total dollar value erased. The sell-off accelerated across multiple international exchanges as falling prices triggered cascading margin calls and widened losses for traders who had built up aggressive bullish positions in recent weeks. United States – The downturn followed regulatory and corporate disclosures from Strategy, the largest U.S. corporate holder of bitcoin and formerly known as MicroStrategy, confirming a rare divestment from its digital asset reserves. The company reported selling 32 bitcoins on Monday, June 1, 2026, for about $2.5 million at an average price of $77,135 per coin. While small relative to Strategy’s overall holdings, the move marked a clear break from years of “never sell” messaging by founder Michael Saylor and signaled a shift toward managing bitcoin to maximize holdings per share. The policy change reverberated across global trading desks, undermining confidence and contributing to broad risk reduction in major cryptocurrencies as the market reassessed a key pillar of long-term corporate support for bitcoin.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.

Timeline of Events

First week of Jun 2026 Strategy files updated bitcoin disclosures
Jun 1 2026 Strategy sells 32 bitcoins
Jun 1 2026 Sale averages $77,135 per bitcoin
Early Jun 2026 Market reacts to Strategy divestment
Jun 3 2026 Bitcoin drops below $66,000 threshold
Jun 3 2026 Over $1.5 billion liquidations recorded
Jun 3 2026 About 440,000 accounts forcibly liquidated
Jun 3 2026 Leveraged long positions mostly wiped out

Why This Matters to You

Bitcoin's slide can impact your investments. If you're in the crypto market, check your positions. If you're not, this might be a buying opportunity. Remember, investing in cryptocurrencies is risky.

The Bottom Line

Bitcoin's volatility is a reminder of the risks in the crypto market. Strategy's policy shift has caused a ripple effect. It's a good time to reassess your risk tolerance. Send this to someone who's thinking about investing in bitcoin.