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Bitcoin (BTC) price retreat deepens after repeated rejection at $80,000: Crypto Markets Today

Reported by Coindesk
Apr 28, 2026· 3 min read
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Key Takeaways
  • • Bitcoin has experienced repeated rejections at the $80,000 resistance level over the past week, with the cryptocurrency declining to $76,581 following a second failed breakout attempt, signaling depleted buy-side liquidity at that price level.
  • • The decline has triggered significant liquidations, with reports of $1.6 billion in crypto liquidations as selling pressure intensified across digital assets, pulling Ether lower alongside Bitcoin.
  • • Technical analysis indicates structural vulnerability: each successive test of $80,000 consumes more buy-side liquidity than the previous attempt, suggesting either a swift buyer reload is required to reclaim the level or price will migrate downward to find the next demand zone.
  • • Coinbase Premium Index has flipped negative, indicating US spot Bitcoin ETF outflows and weakening domestic demand, exacerbating downward price pressure during a period that coincides with scheduled FOMC communications.
  • • Bitcoin's recent underperformance marks its worst month since 2022, with prices briefly dipping below $80,000 on Saturday—the first time since April the cryptocurrency has fallen below that threshold.
Summary
Bitcoin has entered a phase of sustained weakness following multiple failed attempts to break above the $80,000 resistance level within a single week. The repeated rejections signal a critical shift in market structure, with buy-side liquidity progressively consumed by each test of the level. According to technical analysis, the pattern indicates that either institutional and retail buyers must aggressively reload positions to reclaim $80,000, or price action will break lower to discover the next meaningful demand zone. The cryptocurrency declined to $76,581 following the second rejection in recent days, reflecting the loss of momentum from earlier rallies.

The broader crypto market has been pulled into the selloff, with Ether declining alongside Bitcoin despite a brief period earlier in the week when Bitcoin had reclaimed the $80,000 mark to reach $80,750. This coordination in weakness across major digital assets reflects systemic selling pressure rather than isolated token-specific dynamics. The decline has been accompanied by substantial liquidations—reports indicate approximately $1.6 billion in crypto liquidations as the selloff intensified, typical of leverage-driven reversals in markets testing key support levels.

Demand metrics paint a picture of waning institutional interest domestically. The Coinbase Premium Index, a barometer of US spot Bitcoin ETF demand relative to global markets, has flipped negative, signaling net outflows from US-listed spot Bitcoin products. This deterioration in domestic demand coincides with the price retreat and suggests that the recent institutional inflows that drove 2024-2025 adoption may be moderating. The timing is particularly noteworthy given concurrent FOMC communications in the same window, which typically elevates macro uncertainty and risk-off sentiment across risk assets.

Bitcoin's current trajectory represents its worst monthly performance since 2022, with Saturday's dip below $80,000 marking the first such break since early April. The confluence of technical breakdown, liquidation cascades, and softening ETF demand establishes a precarious near-term setup. Market participants are adopting appropriately cautious positioning as the structure deteriorates, with the immediate question pivoting to whether buyers can stabilize the market or whether fresh lows will emerge.

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Sources

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AlphaMaven summarised this story from the reporting below. Each link opens the original article.

Coindesk Bitcoin (BTC) price retreat deepens after repeated rejection at $80,000: Crypto Markets Today