Bitcoin Crashes 14% in a Day, Ethereum Plunges to $1,821 in Historic Market Rout
Friday, February 6, 2026, will be remembered as a dark day for crypto. Bitcoin nosedived to $62,854, a 14.1% drop in 24 hours, while Ethereum collapsed to $1,821, losing 15.4% on the day. Over the past week, losses now stand at 25.7% for BTC and 26.4% for ETH—levels not seen since the 2022 bear market. This meltdown stems from a combination of factors: cascading liquidations in the futures market, where billions of dollars in long positions were wiped out, and a flight to liquidity. Exchanges recorded record volumes, surpassing $80 billion in 24 hours, signaling widespread panic. Institutional investors, often seen as stabilizers, appear to have reduced their exposure, amplifying the decline. The psychological $60,000 mark for Bitcoin is now in sight. The impact is immediate: the total crypto market cap has shrunk by nearly $300 billion in two days. Trading platforms report congestion, and stablecoins are seeing their premiums rise, indicating a rush for safe havens. For long-term holders, this is a stress test. If Bitcoin doesn’t bounce back quickly, market sentiment could shift into prolonged pessimism, reminiscent of the corrections in 2021.
