Crypto Surge Shakes Market: A Closer Look

Over $70 million worth of cryptocurrency short positions were unexpectedly and dramatically wiped out following an unforeseen surge in the value of Bitcoin (BTC) and other digital assets, causing a noticeable downtick in BTC's price to $28,117, and Ether (ETH) to $1,725, alongside various other cryptocurrencies on the eventful day of October 1.

Intriguingly, data from TradingView unveiled that this sudden and meteoric increase propelled Bitcoin's value by an impressive 3% within a remarkably short span of just 15 minutes, skyrocketing it from its previous position of $27,100 to an astounding $28,053, eventually stabilizing slightly below the psychologically significant $28,000 threshold as of the moment of reporting.

Happy Uptober to those who celebrate.

Remember 2021? pic.twitter.com/qgHy1ThGOf

— The Wolf Of All Streets (@scottmelker) October 2, 2023

Similarly, Ethereum's native token, Ether, embarked on a thrilling journey, registering an impressive 4.7% gain during a brief but exhilarating surge to $1,755, before gradually finding equilibrium at $1,727 at the precise time of this report.

This unexpected and rather enigmatic market movement has left the majority of the crypto community puzzled, with speculation running rampant about the causes and implications of this extraordinary event. Many analysts and enthusiasts attributed this remarkable surge to the advent of "Uptober."

Welcome to Uptober.

Welcome to Q4, which is leading towards a great quarter, potentially fueled by ETF approvals and the pre-halving rally.

Potentially #Bitcoin to $40,000 is reasonable.

— Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) October 1, 2023

Within the crypto community, conversations abound, suggesting that certain individuals or entities might possess insider information, granting them an edge that eludes the general populace.

"Uptober," a term commonly used in the crypto sphere, anticipates October to be a particularly bullish month for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, with historical data from CoinGlass revealing that October has only witnessed negative monthly returns on two rare occasions since the year 2013.

Bitcoin monthly returns since 2013. Source: CoinGlass

Among the various events that have captivated the attention and optimism of the crypto market, the potential approval of a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) looms large, with most analysts tentatively pegging January 2024 as the likeliest timeframe for such an announcement.

Meanwhile, amid the jubilation over this notable and long-awaited price movement, spot and long position holders celebrated their gains, while short sellers faced a starkly different fate.

The rapid and electrifying uptick in prices led to the liquidation of an astonishing $70 million worth of short positions within an astonishingly brief two-hour timeframe.

More than $70 million worth of shorts were liquidated in 2 hours. Source: Coinglass

Data gleaned from CoinGlass revealed that approximately $36 million worth of BTC shorts and $23 million worth of ETH shorts were abruptly "liquidated" in the wake of this remarkable and unexpected price shift, further fueling the ongoing discourse within the crypto community.

Read more: Riding the Digital Wave: ETH ETF Frenzy