Skip to main content

Bitcoin Plunges Below $114K as Risk-Off Sentiment Grips Crypto Markets

Published on
3 Aug, 2025 | 10:22

The global cryptocurrency markets have entered another turbulent phase, with Bitcoin (BTC) tumbling to lows near $113,648 during Friday's session. This sharp correction was triggered primarily by a dismal U.S. jobs report (source [1]) and several macroeconomic shocks that rattled both digital and traditional asset classes.

U.S. Jobs Data Sparks Market Anxiety

July's nonfarm payroll report showed the U.S. economy adding just 73,000 jobs, anemic compared to market expectations. Even more troubling were sharp downward revisions to previous months—May and June job gains were slashed by a combined 258,000, fueling recession concerns and immediate portfolio defensiveness (source [3]). Investors, already wary of tepid growth, responded by shedding risk assets, sending the S&P 500 and Nasdaq nearly 2% lower for the day.

Geopolitical and Macro Risks Amplify the Downturn

The selloff was amplified by mounting geopolitical tensions and new executive actions from the White House, including fresh tariffs and public dismissals of key economic officials (source [1]). These moves heightened uncertainty and forced global investors to rebalance out of risk-sensitive assets. Altcoins suffered even steeper declines, with Ethereum, Solana, and Dogecoin each dropping between 2–4% (source [1]).

Liquidity Squeeze and Shifting Rate Cut Expectations

Despite rapidly deteriorating sentiment, some analysts note a silver lining: the weak jobs data has reignited hopes for imminent Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Market participants are now pricing in a strong likelihood of a September rate cut, a scenario supported by a sharp reversal in bond yields and a simultaneous flight to gold (source [2]). However, with macro headwinds intensifying—including higher U.S. interest rates, regulatory uncertainty, and seasonal August weakness—market liquidity in crypto remains fragile (source [4]).

Advanced Market Observations: Strength or Structural Weakness?

Seasoned crypto traders are eyeing the current volatility for both risk and opportunity. While spot liquidations and derivatives-driven selling intensified the short-term correction, some institutional buyers and “crypto whales” have reportedly begun accumulating positions at these lower levels, betting on a macro-driven rebound once monetary conditions ease (source [3]).
The next inflection point may hinge on whether the Federal Reserve indeed shifts to an easing stance and if global risk sentiment stabilizes. Until then, Bitcoin and its peers remain hostage to a complex mix of cross-asset flows, recession fears, and evolving regulatory landscapes.

Sources

  1. CoinDesk – Crypto Market Bloodbath: Three Reasons Traders Are in Risk-Off Mode
  2. CoinGape – BTC Price Rebounds as Weak U.S. Jobs Data Fuels Rate Cut Hopes
  3. Cryptonomist – Is It Time To Sell Crypto? Prices Crash On Massive Jobs Data Downward Revision
  4. Economic Times – Bitcoin price: World's top cryptocurrency tanks and these could be the reasons
Live Bitcoin price illustration with upward chart and Bitcoin logo – bitcoin24.com
Last updated:

Source: CoinGecko