Crypto Longs Suffer $1.84B Wipeout, Biggest Since February

Bitcoin tumbled to a four-month low on June 3, 2026, setting off the largest forced-liquidation wave in the crypto derivatives market since early February and erasing bullish bets worth roughly $1.84 billion in a single session.

The cascade hit traders who had borrowed heavily to bet on rising prices. Nearly $1.84 billion in leveraged crypto positions were liquidated in 24 hours as bitcoin fell below $66,000 and ether dropped under $1,900, marking the largest wipeout since February 5. 

Long positions dominated the pain, with over $1.66 billion in longs forced out versus roughly $200 million in shorts across the broader market.

How Bitcoin Longs Absorbed the Largest Share of the Damage

Bitcoin tumbled sharply on June 3, 2026, hitting a 24-hour low near $65,372 before surging back above $67,000. 

The cryptocurrency shed more than 6% in a single session and over 12% for the week, breaking critical support levels as institutional outflows, supply fears, and a brutal wave of liquidations converged.

Bitcoin longs absorbed $883.66 million of the damage, ether longs another $475.73 million, and Solana longs $91.18 million, with the remaining roughly $390 million spread across HYPE, DOGE, SUI, BNB, and other top-30 longs. 

The number of individual traders liquidated in this session could not be independently verified from the primary sources consulted.

The single largest order was a $59.67 million BTC-USDT long unwinding on HTX. 

Binance, Hyperliquid, and Bybit together handled the bulk of the liquidations as bitcoin slid from above $71,000 to around $65,700.

What Drained Institutional Demand Before the Price Broke

Three forces converged in the days before the flush.

First, spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds accelerated a prolonged redemption run. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $483.76 million in daily net outflows on June 2, led by BlackRock’s IBIT at $440.29 million. 

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs had posted 10 consecutive trading days of net outflows, with roughly $2.9 to $3.0 billion redeemed since mid-May 2026, the longest sustained outflow streak since the products launched in January 2024.

Second, Strategy Inc., one of the largest corporate holders of bitcoin, disclosed a small but symbolic sale. 

According to a Form 8-K filing with the SEC, Strategy sold 32 bitcoin between May 26 and May 31, 2026, for approximately $2.5 million at an average net price of $77,135 per coin, its first reported bitcoin disposal in years. 

The company said proceeds were earmarked for preferred-stock distributions.

Third, geopolitical pressure added to selling. Lingering concern about the conflict in Iran continued to dent investor appetite alongside the institutional outflows.

How the Deleveraging Feedback Loop Played Out

Liquidations are not merely a symptom of falling prices. They amplify them. 

As bitcoin approached $70,000, long positions neared liquidation prices and exchanges had to sell collateral into a downtrend. 

This created a cycle where each round of forced selling pushed prices lower.

Persistent ETF redemptions and weak institutional demand argue for more downside, while heavily liquidated leverage can sometimes clear the way for a sharp relief bounce once selling pressure fades. 

Several analysts have noted that aggressive long liquidations in prior 2026 episodes marked local bottoms rather than the start of deeper declines.

Analysts note that further downside toward the $60,000 to $64,000 zone remains possible if ETF outflows persist or macro headwinds, including geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns, intensify.

What Traders Are Watching Next

Traders are monitoring three near-term triggers: whether U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF outflows reverse from their 10-day streak, whether Strategy returns to bulk purchases or continues token sales under its preferred-share programs, and how conditions in the Middle East evolve. 

Traders now see a break below $65,000 as potentially opening a path toward $60,000. 

No firm date or scheduled event will resolve those questions, making price action at the $66,000 level the clearest short-term signal available.