Key Takeaways
- • Ether accounted for about $286 million of the $483 million in bitcoin and ether futures liquidated over the 24 hours to Thursday, October 15, 2026, according to CoinGlass data cited by Altcoin Buzz.
- • Bitcoin longs were liquidated for $197 million in the same window, with ether falling about 6.4% to $2,356 versus bitcoin's roughly 3.2% decline to around $81,000.
- • September CPI rose 3.7% year over year, above the 3.6% expected and up from 3.4% in August, while core inflation accelerated to 2.6% from 2.4%.
- • Rate-hike odds for the October Fed meeting spiked sharply after the release, with Polymarket peaking near 50% before easing to about 30%, and CME FedWatch moving from roughly 22% to almost 47% before settling at 26%.
- • Spot bitcoin ETFs recorded $150.5 million in outflows on October 14, reversing the prior day's $175.7 million inflow, with bitcoin holding support near $81,500.
Summary
Ether led crypto futures liquidations after a hotter-than-expected September US consumer price report pressured digital asset prices. According to CoinGlass data checked during Asian morning hours, ether contracts accounted for about $286 million of the $483 million in bitcoin and ether futures positions closed over the 24 hours to Thursday, with bitcoin's $197 million the next largest share. Ether fell about 6.4% to $2,356, roughly twice bitcoin's 3.2% decline to around $81,000. XRP and Solana each lost around 5%, and dogecoin dropped roughly 6%. Because outstanding ether futures totaled about $30 billion against $52 billion for bitcoin, the forced selling hit a thinner market.
The inflation data drove the move. Consumer prices rose 3.7% in the 12 months through September, up from 3.4% in August and above the 3.6% economists expected, with gasoline up 9.1% on the month and accounting for more than half the headline monthly increase of 0.6%. Core inflation accelerated to 2.6% from 2.4%. Rate expectations moved quickly: on Polymarket, the probability of an October hike rose to nearly 50% before easing to about 30%, while CME's FedWatch tool moved from roughly 22% before the report to almost 47%, then back to 26%. The Fed raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points in September to a target range of 3.75% to 4%, its first increase in more than three years, and the next decision is scheduled for October 27 and 28.
Spot bitcoin ETFs turned negative as the selloff developed. US spot bitcoin ETFs recorded $150.5 million in outflows on October 14, led by FBTC and IBIT, after a $175.7 million inflow the previous day. Bitcoin touched an intraday low of $81,500 on Wednesday, roughly 35% below its October 2025 record above $126,000. Mudrex said on-chain data showed bitcoin holding support near $81,500, the average cost basis for US ETF investors, while Bitget analyst Lewis Huang placed immediate support at $81,300. Liquidation totals varied by venue and time window, ranging from about $220 million to more than $800 million across different tallies, so the $483 million figure reflects the specific 24-hour CoinGlass window cited. Later quotes had bitcoin recovering to near $83,700.
The inflation data drove the move. Consumer prices rose 3.7% in the 12 months through September, up from 3.4% in August and above the 3.6% economists expected, with gasoline up 9.1% on the month and accounting for more than half the headline monthly increase of 0.6%. Core inflation accelerated to 2.6% from 2.4%. Rate expectations moved quickly: on Polymarket, the probability of an October hike rose to nearly 50% before easing to about 30%, while CME's FedWatch tool moved from roughly 22% before the report to almost 47%, then back to 26%. The Fed raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points in September to a target range of 3.75% to 4%, its first increase in more than three years, and the next decision is scheduled for October 27 and 28.
Spot bitcoin ETFs turned negative as the selloff developed. US spot bitcoin ETFs recorded $150.5 million in outflows on October 14, led by FBTC and IBIT, after a $175.7 million inflow the previous day. Bitcoin touched an intraday low of $81,500 on Wednesday, roughly 35% below its October 2025 record above $126,000. Mudrex said on-chain data showed bitcoin holding support near $81,500, the average cost basis for US ETF investors, while Bitget analyst Lewis Huang placed immediate support at $81,300. Liquidation totals varied by venue and time window, ranging from about $220 million to more than $800 million across different tallies, so the $483 million figure reflects the specific 24-hour CoinGlass window cited. Later quotes had bitcoin recovering to near $83,700.
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