Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Below $90K: Institutions Defy Downturn

Bitcoin's recent slide below $90,000 has reignited concerns over market stability, with the cryptocurrency now trading at a 30% discount to its October peak of $126,250 according to market analysis. The drop, which has pushed Bitcoin below its 2025 realized price of $103,227, means the average investor this year is facing a 13% loss, according to Glassnode data. The correction, which began in late October, has lasted 43 days as of Nov. 18, mirroring the magnitude of the April 2025 downturn but occurring at half the duration. That earlier selloff saw Bitcoin plunge from $109,000 to $76,000 over 80 days, though it has yet to breach the $70,000 realized price threshold according to market reports.

The price action has been compounded by a sharp exodus from Bitcoin-linked exchange-traded funds (ETFs). US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $866 million in outflows on Nov. 18, marking the second-worst day on record after a $1.14 billion outflow in February 2025. This trend reflects broader investor caution, with the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) alone losing $200.73 million in the week ending Nov. 14 according to weekly ETF flows. Analysts attribute the flight to uncertainty over U.S. interest rate policy, macroeconomic volatility, and profit-taking by large holders. "The bull market remains intact until Bitcoin falls below $94,000, the average cost basis for recent buyers," said Ki Young Ju, CEO of CryptoQuant according to market analysis.

Institutional players, however, remain bullish. Harvard University, for instance, tripled its stake in BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) in the third quarter, holding 6.8 million shares valued at $442.8 million as of Sept. 30 according to company filings. The move, described by Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas as "super rare" for endowments, underscores growing institutional validation of crypto assets despite recent price declines. Meanwhile, Matador Technologies announced expanded capital access via a $100 million secured convertible note facility, signaling continued corporate appetite for Bitcoin accumulation.

The market's mixed signals were evident in late November, as Bitcoin briefly rebounded 3.6% to $92,621 on Nov. 19, driven by bargain-hunting in a seven-month low. Ethereum and Solana also saw gains, rising 5.5% and 6.8%, respectively, as risk-on sentiment briefly returned. Yet, the broader crypto market remains fragile, with Bitcoin ETFs continuing to hemorrhage assets amid a broader equity selloff that saw the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) lose $1.71 billion in the same week according to ETF data.

Historically, periods where Bitcoin dips below its annual realized price have acted as entry points for buyers, per Glassnode analysis. Whether this correction will follow that pattern depends on macroeconomic clarity and the resilience of institutional demand-factors that remain in flux as the market navigates a complex 2025 landscape.