Bitcoin News Today: Investor Panic Grips Crypto as Stocks Tumble, Bitcoin Slides Below $100K

US stocks opened lower on November 15, 2025, as broad market declines extended into the cryptocurrency sector, with Bitcoin falling below $100,000 for the second time this month. The crypto Fear & Greed Index plummeted to 10, its lowest level since late February, signaling "extreme fear" among investors amid profit-taking, macroeconomic uncertainty, and liquidity strains. The selloff dragged down the wider crypto market, which lost 5.8% of its value over the week, while Bitcoin's seven-day decline exceeded 5%.

Bakkt Holdings, a crypto-focused platform, exemplified the sector's struggles after its shares dropped 16% following a $23.2 million third-quarter loss driven by a non-cash warrant revaluation. Despite a 27% revenue increase to $402.2 million and adjusted EBITDA of $29 million, the accounting charge clouded its financial performance, highlighting the volatility inherent in crypto-linked businesses. Meanwhile, Grayscale Investments reported a revenue drop of $318.7 million for the nine months ending September 30, down from $397.9 million in the same period in 2024, as its Bitcoin Trust ETF faced outflows and competitive pressure from lower-fee alternatives.

The DeFi sector faced its own crisis, with total value locked (TVL) across major blockchains-Ethereum, Solana, and Arbitrum-plummeting by double digits. Security breaches, including a $120 million exploit at Balancer and a $93 million loss at Stream Finance, exacerbated the decline, eroding investor confidence and accelerating withdrawals according to market analysis. Ethereum's price, meanwhile, fluctuated near $3,560, with whale activity suggesting potential accumulation ahead of the Fusaka upgrade in December. Large holders added 7.6 million ETH since late April, a 52% increase, as on-chain data hinted at a potential local bottom around $3,000.

Institutional investors also recalibrated their crypto exposure. Tiger Global Management cut its Meta stake by 63% in Q3, reducing holdings to 2.8 million shares, while increasing positions in Amazon and Netflix. The hedge fund's moves reflected broader market skepticism and a pivot toward more stable assets amid crypto's turbulence. Canary, another firm, paused new XRP ETF filings, awaiting regulatory clarity from the SEC, even as its initial XRP ETF launch saw strong demand.

The market's fragility was compounded by macroeconomic headwinds, including delayed U.S. government shutdown resolutions and lingering Fed rate uncertainty. Analysts noted that while institutional outflows and technical upgrades like Ethereum's Fusaka upgrade could stabilize the market, sustained recovery would depend on regulatory clarity and macroeconomic stability.