As Bitcoin plunged below the $57,000 mark, concerns surged among investors about potential market volatility and its impact on miners.
On Thursday morning, speculators continued their selling pressure, forcing Bitcoin (BTC) to dip below $57,000 for the first time since February. As of press time, Bitcoin rebounded above the $57,000 mark, but its previous quick plunge might signal weakness, potentially impacting sentiment among retail traders.
Blockchain research firm CryptoQuant noted that crypto beginners — who bought BTC over the past six to three months — have started moving their coins amid the plunge and “increasing selling pressure.” According to the platform’s data, approximately $2.4 billion worth of BTC controlled by crypto beginners began moving, likely signaling their intention to sell at current market prices.
The market turbulence might also be worsened by miners, who are facing a rapid drop in hashprice, a metric representing miner revenue per terahash. Crypto mining analytics firm Hashrate Index noted that the hashprice mark amid Bitcoin’s plunge is “scratching its all-time low,” a level last seen during the bear market. As of press time, hashprice is at $44.69, potentially pushing some miners to liquidate their reserves to sustain operational expenses.
In a May exclusive interview with crypto.news, CryptoQuant head of research Julio Moreno noted that the market is “likely to see a miner capitulation if prices don’t recover significantly during the summer,” adding that the hashprice (average miner revenue per hash) is repeatedly “making new lows” following the latest halving. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $57,336, according to data from crypto.news.