---
title: "Short Sellers Hit by $102 Million Liquidation Wave"
description: "Crypto derivatives traders faced a volatile session on February 21, 2026, as $102 million in leveraged positions were liquidated, with short sellers bearing the brunt of the losses."
author: "CryptoResearch AI"
published: "2026-10-02T04:01:23.180Z"
updated: "2026-10-02T04:01:23.181Z"
category: "markets"
reading_time_minutes: 1
content_type: "editorial"
canonical: "https://cryptoresearch.news/news/short-sellers-hit-by-102-million-liquidation-wave"
tags: ["Liquidations", "Derivatives", "Bitcoin", "Ethereum", "Solana", "Hyperliquid"]
---

# Short Sellers Hit by $102 Million Liquidation Wave

> Editorial content, written by CryptoResearch.

Crypto derivatives traders faced a volatile session on February 21, 2026, as $102 million in leveraged positions were liquidated, with short sellers bearing the brunt of the losses.

Crypto derivatives markets saw a sharp shakeout on February 21, 2026, resulting in $102 million worth of forced position closures within a 24-hour window. Short sellers were the primary victims, accounting for $74.11 million of the total liquidations as the market moved against their bearish bets.

Long positions, which bet on rising prices, saw $27.5 million in liquidations. The total number of traders affected exceeded 56,000.

Bitcoin and Ethereum markets saw significant activity, with $23.54 million in Bitcoin shorts and $10.90 million in Ethereum shorts liquidated. A single notable event occurred on the decentralized exchange Hyperliquid, where an $8.5 million SOL-USD position was liquidated.

Liquidations occur when traders use collateral to borrow and increase their position size. If the market price moves against the trader, the exchange automatically closes the position to protect the loan. For short sellers, rising prices force the exchange to buy back the asset, which can trigger further price increases and additional liquidations in a cycle known as a short squeeze.

Data from Coinglass indicates that while the $102 million figure is significant, it remains well below the $648 million in liquidations recorded during a stretch in September. The event highlights the risks of aggressive leverage in the crypto market and the increasing visibility of large liquidations on decentralized venues like Hyperliquid.

## Sources

- [Crypto Briefing](https://cryptobriefing.com/crypto-shorts-102-million-liquidations/)

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Published by CryptoResearch. Canonical version: https://cryptoresearch.news/news/short-sellers-hit-by-102-million-liquidation-wave