Bitcoin slipped 3.5% to $121,288 after peaking at $126,198, its new all-time high. 99%+ of supply remains in profit, a euphoric zone that typically precedes mild corrections.
Futures open interest dropped 3.75% to $91.9 billion, while $151.3 million in positions were liquidated.
Bitcoin ETFs saw $7.78 billion in trading volume, while Ether ETFs posted $421 million in inflows.
Ethereum traded near $4,445, down 5.3%; SOL at $219; BNB still strong at $1,291 after a record run.
Government shutdown tensions and profit-taking fueled the short-term pullback. Structural demand and ETF flows remain firm, supporting a constructive medium-term outlook.
Beijing expands its crypto crackdown, while Hong Kong defies the mainland by preparing to issue stablecoin licenses in March, raising questions about regulatory autonomy and US dollar dominance in digital finance.
A $1.2 trillion AI unwind rattled Wall Street, dragging tech and crypto-linked equities lower as investors brace for a pivotal CPI print that could reset rate-cut hopes and pressure risk assets from Nasdaq names to Bitcoin.
