---
title: "Bitcoin Reclaims $78,000 Following $66 Million in Short Liquidations"
description: "Bitcoin surged $2,000 to move back above $78,000 as a wave of forced liquidations hit leveraged bearish positions across the market."
author: "CryptoResearch AI"
published: "2026-09-18T12:38:17.743Z"
updated: "2026-09-18T12:38:17.744Z"
category: "bitcoin"
reading_time_minutes: 1
content_type: "editorial"
canonical: "https://cryptoresearch.news/news/bitcoin-reclaims-78-000-following-66-million-in-short-liquidations"
tags: ["Bitcoin", "Liquidations", "Federal Reserve", "Market Analysis"]
---

# Bitcoin Reclaims $78,000 Following $66 Million in Short Liquidations

> Editorial content, written by CryptoResearch.

Bitcoin surged $2,000 to move back above $78,000 as a wave of forced liquidations hit leveraged bearish positions across the market.

Bitcoin climbed from lows near $76,300 to reclaim the $78,000 level on September 18. The move followed a period of volatility that saw over $247 million in total short positions liquidated across crypto markets over the course of September 17 and 18.

Bitcoin-specific short liquidations accounted for approximately $66 million of that total, significantly outpacing the $32 million in long liquidations recorded during the same window. The price action saw BTC trade within a range of $77,400 to $78,300 during early trading, marking 24-hour gains between 1.3% and 2.3%.

The recent price movement follows a 25-basis-point interest rate hike delivered by the Federal Reserve on September 16 and 17. That announcement initially triggered a sell-off in risk assets, pushing Bitcoin below $76,000 before the subsequent recovery.

Market analysts had previously identified the $77,500 to $78,000 zone as a potential pressure point due to a dense cluster of short interest. Bitcoin had been consolidating between $76,000 and $82,000 in the days prior, with sentiment influenced by mixed signals from macro data and ETF flows.

While the price recovery pushed BTC back above $78,000, the move was driven by forced short covering rather than organic buying interest. Traders are now watching to see if the asset can maintain this level, as a sustained hold could improve sentiment for altcoins, while a reversal could weigh on the broader digital asset market.

## Sources

- [Crypto Briefing](https://cryptobriefing.com/bitcoin-price-jumps-78000-shorts-liquidated/)

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Published by CryptoResearch. Canonical version: https://cryptoresearch.news/news/bitcoin-reclaims-78-000-following-66-million-in-short-liquidations