According to Bloomberg Business, Bitcoin slumped to a two-month low of $81,102 on Friday, its weakest level since November 21. The token is now down over 34% from its all-time high set on October 6, with more than $1.5 billion in bullish crypto positions liquidated in just 24 hours. The 12 US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs are facing a critical test, recording three consecutive months of net redemptions totaling $5.7 billion. If outflows continue through January, it will mark the longest sustained withdrawal period since these funds launched in 2024. Analyst Alex Kuptsikevich of FxPro noted that cryptocurrencies suddenly no longer appear to be a hedge against fiat policies, and BlackRock’s flagship Bitcoin ETF has now fallen behind its Gold ETF in total assets.
The Digital Gold Dream Fades
Here’s the thing: the most damning metric here isn’t the dollar price. It’s the price in gold. Bitcoin has slumped roughly 60% in gold terms from its late 2024 peak. So much for that “digital gold” narrative, right? When geopolitical uncertainty flares up, as it has been, investors are sprinting back to the ancient, physical metal, not the digital alternative. This is a massive blow to a core ideological tenet of Bitcoin’s value proposition. It’s not acting as a safe haven; it’s acting like a risk asset that’s getting sold off. And that’s a huge problem for its long-term story.
Who This Hurts and Why
The immediate pain is felt by traders, obviously. Those $1.5 billion in liquidated positions represent real people getting wiped out on leverage. But the ETF outflow story is bigger. It suggests institutional and retail money parked in those easy-access funds is getting cold feet. This isn’t just crypto bros on a decentralized exchange; this is mainstream finance pulling back. For companies and developers building in the Bitcoin ecosystem, this kind of sustained negative price action and fund exodus makes it harder to raise capital, plan roadmaps, and attract users. The sentiment shift is palpable, and it freezes everything.
Where Does It Go From Here?
Analysts in the piece aren’t optimistic. The talk is about a break below $80,000, with one predicting a slide into the $70,000 range. The point about weekend liquidity is key—thin trading can amplify moves, so we could see some wild swings. The technical view that the recent rally was just a “counter-trend” bounce within a larger downtrend is also pretty bearish. Basically, the momentum has clearly flipped. The question now is whether this is a healthy correction in a longer bull market or the start of something uglier. With the ETF golden goose seemingly slowing its egg production, the bullish case needs a new catalyst, and fast.
