$290 Billion Vanishes in Weekend Rout
The cryptocurrency market endured a bruising weekend, with bitcoin plunging to $74,000—its lowest point since April 2025—and the total crypto market capitalization shedding a staggering $290 billion since Saturday. This sharp downturn was accompanied by a parallel drop in ether, which fell to $2,164 before both leading tokens rebounded slightly by about 1% since midnight UTC. The selloff unfolded in an environment of thin liquidity, amplifying price swings and triggering widespread liquidations across digital assets.
Major and minor tokens alike tracked bitcoin’s trajectory, with CoinDesk reporting that nearly all of its 16 tracked indices have posted losses between 15% and 19% for the year so far. Indexes focused on decentralized finance (DeFi), smart contracts, and computing coins have fared even worse, down 20% to 25% year-to-date.
Cramer: "Where Are the Bitcoin Bulls?"
Jim Cramer, CNBC host and vocal bitcoin holder, questioned the conviction of bitcoin bulls as the asset tumbled over the weekend. Cramer cited strategist Jessica Inskip’s view that a key support zone might exist near $73,000—a level now in focus after the latest flash crash. He argued that bitcoin needed to reclaim $77,000 to regain momentum toward the low-$80,000s, suggesting that this would serve as a “launching pad” for any potential recovery.
Cramer also highlighted how the current decline underscores bitcoin’s notorious volatility and its unreliability for short-term transactions. On paper, bitcoin is often touted as “digital gold,” but its double-digit percentage swings continue to challenge that narrative.
Cramer acknowledged that he personally owns bitcoin despite these concerns.
Crypto Stocks Hit Hardest on Wall Street
The shockwaves from bitcoin’s plunge did not stop at digital assets. U.S.-listed crypto stocks faced steep declines in pre-market trading: MicroStrategy (MSTR) dropped more than 6%, Galaxy Digital (GLXY) fell over 7%, while IREN (IREN) and Cipher Mining (CIFR) each lost about 4%. Coinbase (COIN), one of the largest crypto exchanges by volume, slid roughly 4%. These moves coincided with an uptick in broader market volatility—the Volatility S&P 500 Index (VIX) jumped 10% on the day—while S&P 500 futures retreated by 0.58% and Nasdaq 100 futures by 0.85% ahead of Monday’s open.
The correlation between crypto and equities appeared especially pronounced this weekend as leveraged traders may have been forced to liquidate positions in both markets to cover margin calls or raise cash amid falling prices.
Why it Matters: Altcoins Follow Bitcoin’s Lead
Bitcoin’s dominance remains evident despite thousands of new altcoins entering the market as of 2026. Nearly every major token mirrored BTC’s decline: Aave’s AAVE token plunged 26%, while only a handful like Hyperliquid’s HYPE managed positive returns year-to-date—up 20%, though recently pulling back from $34.80 to $30. DefiLlama data shows that platforms such as Hyperliquid, Pump, Aave, Jupiter, Aerodrome, Ligther, Base, and Tron remain among the top revenue generators over the past month.
For investors who believed diversification into DeFi or smart contract tokens would insulate them from bitcoin-led volatility, the current rout delivers a sobering lesson: most digital assets still “dance to BTC's tune.”
MicroStrategy Quietly Buys the Dip
While many traders scrambled to manage risk during the downturn, Michael Saylor—executive chairman of MicroStrategy—hinted at another round of corporate bitcoin accumulation. On Sunday he tweeted simply “more orange,” fueling speculation that his company added to its already massive BTC holdings during the dip. Short sellers may be targeting both bitcoin and crypto-exposed equities ahead of MicroStrategy’s upcoming earnings report later this week.
It is unclear how much additional bitcoin MicroStrategy acquired or whether this move will help stabilize sentiment in coming days.
The Takeaway
- •Bitcoin dropped to $74,000 over the weekend, its lowest level since April 2025, erasing $290 billion in market cap.
- •Major crypto indices tracked by CoinDesk are down 15%-19% year-to-date, with DeFi and smart contract indexes down 20%-25%.
- •Crypto-related U.S. equities like MicroStrategy and Galaxy Digital fell over 6% and 7% respectively in pre-market trading.
Key points still in play
MicroStrategy’s company report later this week remains a key scheduled event, as short sellers may be pressing bitcoin ahead of it; if bitcoin fails to reclaim the $77,000 level before the report, immediate downside pressure on both BTC and crypto-related equities could intensify.