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Bitcoin jumps above $73K as $463M in short liquidations shake crypto market

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Bitcoin climbed above $73K as a wave of short liquidations hit crypto derivatives markets, wiping out more than $463 million in bearish positions.

Posted: March 5, 2026 Avatar

By: Adewale Olarinde Journalist Edited By: Jibin Mathew George Bitcoin jumps above $73K as $463M in short liquidations shake crypto market

Adewale Olarinde Journalist Edited By: Jibin Mathew George Posted: March 5, 2026 Share this article

The cryptocurrency market staged a sharp rebound over the past 24 hours, with Bitcoin climbing above the $73,000 mark as a wave of short liquidations rippled across derivatives markets.

Liquidation data shows that more than $463 million in short positions were wiped out during the move, compared with roughly $79.9 million in long liquidations, highlighting a strong imbalance that favored bullish momentum.

The liquidation spike suggests a classic short squeeze, in which traders betting on falling prices were forced to close their positions as the market moved higher.

Bitcoin leads the rally

Bitcoin was trading around $73,770 at the time of writing, up 8% over the past 24 hours. The move pushed the asset back above a key psychological threshold after recent periods of consolidation.

Source: TradingView

The sudden upward momentum likely triggered forced liquidations among leveraged short traders, accelerating the rally as exchanges automatically closed positions.

Altcoins follow with broad gains

The rally was not limited to Bitcoin; major altcoins also posted strong gains over the same period.

Ethereum rose 9.66% to around $2,173, while Solana climbed 8.94% to roughly $92.69. XRP gained 7.23%, trading near $1.46, and BNB advanced 4.64% to about $662.

Among large-cap tokens, Dogecoin recorded the strongest move, surging 15.06% over the past 24 hours.

The broad-based gains suggest renewed risk appetite across the market rather than a Bitcoin-only price move.

Liquidation imbalance signals short squeeze

Liquidation data shows a significant imbalance between bearish and bullish positions.

Total short liquidations reached approximately $463.56 million, while long liquidations totaled about $79.9 million. This indicates that traders positioned for downside were disproportionately affected by the price surge.

Source: Coinglass

Such imbalances often occur when markets move quickly against heavily leveraged positions, triggering cascading liquidations that can intensify volatility.

Market momentum returns

The latest price action suggests bullish momentum has returned to the crypto market in the short term, with traders rotating back into risk assets after recent volatility.

While liquidation-driven rallies can sometimes cool once forced position closures subside, the scale of the short squeeze highlights how quickly market sentiment can shift when leverage builds up on one side of the trade.

Final Summary

Bitcoin rose above $73,000, helping drive a broad rally across major cryptocurrencies.
The move triggered roughly $463 million in short liquidations, pointing to a short squeeze that amplified upward momentum across the market.

Next: Why tokenization could make Solana a CLARITY Act winner Share

Adewale Olarinde

Adewale Olarinde is a crypto journalist and data-driven storyteller with a Master’s degree in International Relations. He covers digital assets, markets, and policy with a focus on clarity and context. Outside of work, he’s a lifelong Manchester United supporter and a big music lover. More Articles