Bitcoin Slides Into Three-Week Losing Streak Near $80,000 as ETF Outflows and Fed Decision Weigh

Bitcoin completed its first three-week losing streak since May, falling roughly 7.4% from its October 5 open to its October 25 close and settling near $80,000. The decline accelerated into the new week, with the price dipping to a session low of $79,255 on Coinbase on Monday before hovering around $79,854 by 16:49 UTC, as traders positioned ahead of the Federal Reserve's October 28 rate decision.

Two catalysts drove the retreat. A hotter-than-forecast inflation reading and a sharp selloff in AI-linked stocks rattled sentiment after Bitcoin had touched roughly $83,800 on October 13, pulling the asset to a weekly trough near $80,100 by October 15. Compounding the pressure, US spot Bitcoin ETFs shed approximately $773 million over Thursday and Friday, removing a significant source of institutional demand just as the $80,000 level became contested.

The broader crypto market felt the strain more acutely: total crypto market capitalization fell 2.83% to $2.70 trillion as of 9:04 a.m. ET on October 26, outpacing Bitcoin's own decline. Liquidations across Binance, Bybit, and OKX totaled $110.9 million. On the technical side, Bitcoin has fallen below its 50-day moving average near $81,800, with resistance now seen at $84,800 and $87,500, and near-term support around $75,000. Analysts say reclaiming $80,000 and then the 50-day moving average are the key steps needed to restore bullish momentum, while a move above $85,000 would be a further positive signal.

Several macro events this week could drive additional volatility, including the Fed's October 28 decision, US PCE and GDP releases, major tech earnings, and Israel's election. Geopolitical tensions and the prospect of an Anthropic IPO are adding to the uncertainty hanging over risk assets.