Bitcoin slid to its lowest level in nearly seven months on Tuesday, breaking below the $90,000 handle as investors dialed back expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut and braced for a wave of delayed U.S. economic data.

• Bitcoin (BTC) traded 5.4% lower at $90,091 at 05:22 GMT after touching an intraday low of $89,471, putting it roughly 30% below its late-October peak above $126,000.

Macro overhang and “death cross” accelerate the selloff

A risk-off tone gathered pace after BTC failed to hold ~$94,000 support and flashed a short-term/long-term moving-average “death cross”, reinforcing downside momentum. On the macro side, Fed officials—including Chair Jerome Powell—have signaled reluctance to ease in December, keeping traders on edge as the central bank heads into its final meeting of the year with an incomplete picture of the economy.

A prolonged U.S. government shutdown delayed key releases; the September nonfarm payrolls report—now due Thursday—will be the first major data point to clear the fog.

ETF demand stalls; crypto equities buckle

Spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen softer inflows, with institutional accounts stepping back amid heightened volatility. The weakness spilled into crypto-exposed equities and miners, amplifying de-risking across the complex.

Derivatives liquidations deepen pressure

The decline follows waves of forced liquidations in recent sessions, with billions of dollars in leveraged crypto positions unwound earlier this month. The cascade added mechanical selling pressure as margin calls and stops were triggered across venues.

Altcoins track lower

Broader crypto markets extended losses alongside Bitcoin:

• Ether (ETH): -5.6% to $3,008.92
• XRP: -4.4% to $2.15
• Solana (SOL): -4.0%
• Cardano (ADA): -5.0%
• Polygon (MATIC): -3.0%
• Dogecoin (DOGE): -4.0%; $TRUMP: -1.0%

What’s next

• Thursday: U.S. NFP (September)—first major official print post-shutdown; labor softness could revive cut bets, while resilience may keep policy on hold.
• Technical levels: On the downside, traders are eyeing $88k–$89k as near-term support, with $94k–$95k now initial resistance; positioning remains sensitive to ETF flow direction and funding rates.

Until clarity emerges on the Fed’s December stance and the incoming data, crypto markets are likely to remain headline-driven, liquidity-fragile, and technically heavy.