# Bitcoin holds below $85K as crypto liquidations reach $342M Author: KriptoMeta Editorial Team Language: English Published: 2026-10-03T17:09:03+03:00 Updated: 2026-10-03T17:09:03+03:00 ![A brass Bitcoin medallion held between steel pressure jaws](https://kriptometa.com/uploads/bitcoin-bin-dolarin-altinda-kriptoda-milyon-dolar-tasfiye-1a7ca88935d9_article.webp) ## Key takeaways - CoinGecko showed BTC near $84,854 at 13:51 UTC on October 3. - Bitcoin contracts accounted for roughly $74.92 million of the $341.94 million market-wide liquidation total. - U.S. payrolls rose by 29,000 in September; the preceding two months were revised down by a combined 60,000. Bitcoin’s brief push above $87,000 did not last. With BTC trading near $84,900, forced closures in derivatives markets fell mainly on positions betting on higher prices. Bitcoin remained below $85,000 after a brief move above $87,000 on October 2 failed to hold. At 13:51 UTC on October 3, [CoinGecko data](https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/bitcoin) showed the [Bitcoin price](https://kriptometa.com/en/markets/bitcoin) near $84,854. Around the same time, liquidations across crypto derivatives markets totalled $341.94 million over the preceding 24 hours. The displayed 24-hour price range was $83,898–$86,885. BTC had moved away from the lower end, but remained below the previous day’s $87,000 attempt. The split between long and short liquidations showed where the pressure had fallen. ## Long positions account for 89% of liquidations According to [CoinGlass liquidation data](https://www.coinglass.com/liquidations), $304.70 million of the total came from long positions betting on higher prices. Short positions accounted for $37.24 million. Longs therefore made up roughly 89% of forced closures by value; CoinGlass reported that 87,360 traders were liquidated during the period. CoinGlass, checked October 3, 2026 at 13:51 UTC; rolling 24-hour totals | Past 24 hours | Liquidation value | |---|---| | Crypto market — longs | $304.70 million | | Crypto market — shorts | $37.24 million | | Bitcoin contracts — total | About $74.92 million | Bitcoin’s own row showed $71.16 million in long liquidations and $3.76 million in shorts. The full $342 million market-wide figure should therefore not be attributed to Bitcoin alone. Within BTC contracts, too, forced closures were concentrated on the long side. **Liquidation value is not a cash outflow.** It measures the value of leveraged positions forcibly closed, rather than the collateral traders deposited or money withdrawn from spot markets. Understanding [how liquidation works](https://kriptometa.com/en/glossary/liquidation) helps distinguish those measures. Higher leverage can bring a position to its liquidation threshold after a smaller price move. The relationship between entry price, margin and leverage can be explored with our [liquidation price calculator](https://kriptometa.com/en/tools/leverage-liquidation-calculator). Its estimates do not replace an exchange’s actual maintenance-margin and fee rules. ## The post-jobs rally failed to hold $87,000 The previous day’s move came against the backdrop of the U.S. jobs release. The [BLS September report, published on October 2](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm), showed nonfarm payrolls rising by 29,000 and an unemployment rate of 4.2%. July and August payrolls were revised down by a combined 60,000. Average hourly earnings rose 0.1% over the month and 3.0% over the year. [The BLS jobs announcement from October 2](https://x.com/BLS_gov/status/2105999306092052976) Limited payroll growth does not, by itself, settle the Federal Reserve’s next rate decision. The initial rally following the release also failed to last. For readers following [Bitcoin developments](https://kriptometa.com/en/news/bitcoin), macroeconomic data, spot prices and forced closures of leveraged positions provide different pieces of the picture. Price and liquidation figures refer to the October 3 check at 13:51 UTC. Rolling 24-hour totals can change as the observation window moves, so readings taken at different times are not directly interchangeable.