Crypto Capitulation: Bitcoin Plunges Below $54,000 as Mt. Gox and German Government Sell-Off Sparks Panic
The cryptocurrency market is reeling from one of its most severe sell-offs of the year, with Bitcoin (BTC) crashing through key support levels to fall below $54,000 for the first time since late February. The brutal downturn has erased over $170 billion in total market capitalization in a matter of days, sending shockwaves through the investor community. The primary catalysts for the plunge are two major sources of selling pressure that have overwhelmed market demand: 1. **The Mt. Gox Repayments:** After a decade-long wait, the defunct Japanese exchange Mt. Gox has begun distributing billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash to its creditors. This week, the rehabilitation trustee moved approximately 47,229 BTC (worth around $2.6 billion) to a new address, signaling that distributions are imminent. The market fears that a significant portion of these coins, once received by creditors, will be immediately sold on the open market, creating a massive and sustained supply o...