Bitcoin Plunges Below $99,000 Amid US Stock Sell-Off: Is a Bear Market Looming?

Bitcoin (BTC) tumbled below $99,000 on November 14, 2025, marking a six-month low and a nearly 3% drop in 24 hours, as a synchronized plunge in U.S. stocks triggered widespread market panic.

The cryptocurrency’s slide, dipping as low as $98,400 before a partial rebound to around $100,400, coincided with leveraged long positions facing mass liquidations totaling over $960 million globally, including $827 million in BTC alone. On-chain data revealed a sharp liquidity contraction, with long-term holders offloading 815,000 BTC in the past month, amplifying downside pressure. As of November 14, 2025, this volatility has reignited debates on whether the crypto market is entering a full-blown bear phase, echoing the 2021-2022 crash when BTC fell from $260 to under $10. Key opinion leaders (KOLs) largely attribute the downturn to macroeconomic uncertainty, delayed economic data from the recent government shutdown, fading hopes for aggressive Fed rate cuts, and cascading sell-offs from overleveraged trades.

What Triggered Bitcoin’s Sharp Decline?

The sell-off gained momentum as U.S. equities extended losses, with the S&P 500 down 1.66% to 6,737.49, the Nasdaq plunging 2.29% to 22,870.36, and the Dow Jones falling 1.65% to 47,457.22—the steepest daily drops in over a month. Tech-heavy indices bore the brunt, driven by concerns over inflated AI valuations and a weakening labor market, as evidenced by disappointing Challenger layoffs data. Bitcoin, often treated as a high-beta risk asset, followed suit, breaking below the critical $100,000 support amid $250 million in GBTC outflows last week. On-chain indicators painted a grim picture: exchange inflows surged with 15,000 BTC net deposited, signaling deleveraging, while the RSI oscillator hit 40.07 (neutral-bearish) and the Fear & Greed Index plunged to 15 (Extreme Fear), the lowest since October’s correction. KOLs point to a perfect storm: the 43-day government shutdown’s data blackout complicating Fed decisions, persistent services inflation eroding rate-cut bets, and clustered long liquidations exacerbating the cascade.

• BTC Intraday Range: $98,040–$103,967; low of $97,956 on some platforms.
• Liquidation Breakdown: $827M BTC longs wiped out; total crypto $960M.
• Stock Market Context: Nasdaq’s worst day since October; AI stocks like Nvidia down sharply.
• On-Chain Flows: 815K BTC sold by holders; whale outflows up 2%.
• Macro Backdrop: Fed signals hesitation on December cuts; PCE at 2.6%.

Why This Drop Signals Bear Market Fears in 2025 Crypto Trends

Bitcoin’s breach below $99,000 evokes 2022’s brutal winter, where SOL cratered 96% amid FTX fallout, but analysts caution it’s not yet a structural bear—rather a healthy purge of leverage in a maturing market. With $50 billion+ in ETF inflows since January sustaining the uptrend, the spot cycle remains intact, per KOL consensus, though short-term panic could extend declines to $95,000–$98,000 buying zones. Institutions like Luxembourg’s sovereign wealth fund maintain firm BTC positions, viewing dips as accumulation opportunities amid regulatory tailwinds from the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. However, divided community views—optimists eyeing year-end rebounds to $114,500 versus bears warning of $9 lows—highlight fragility. For DeFi users, this underscores unleveraged resilience, as liquidations erode speculative froth while fundamentals like network upgrades and adoption hold.

• Historical Parallel: 2021-2022: BTC from $69K to $16K; SOL 96% wipeout.
• ETF Resilience: $336M inflows last week; Grayscale options launch aids hedging.
• Institutional Stance: Funds hold steady; $26M net spot buys in 3 days.
• Sentiment Gauge: Extreme Fear (15); 47% green days in last 30.
• Long-Term View: $325 SOL by 2026; BTC to $114,500 November end.

How Liquidations and Stock Correlation Amplify BTC Risks

Liquidations cascade when positions breach margins, flooding markets with forced sales—here, longs clustered at $104K triggered $320M BTC dumps, thinning liquidity further. BTC’s 58% dominance ties it to equities, with Nasdaq’s AI unwind spilling over; correlation hit 0.85 last week. EMAs suggest $106,060 as rebound support, but a close below $99K eyes $120 via head-and-shoulders. Volume rose 3.77% to $59.44 billion, but negative net flows signal caution—whales up 2%, yet holders sold amid shutdown data voids.

• Cascade Effect: Stops below $104K liquidated $827M longs.
• Correlation Spike: BTC-Nasdaq at 0.85; equities’ 2.29% drop mirrored.
• Technical Setup: RSI divergence hints recovery; below 30 oversold.
• Volume Insight: $5B+ daily DEX; outperforms rivals.
• Recovery Signs: ETF inflows resuming; whale accumulation.

In summary, Bitcoin’s 3% plunge below $99K on November 14, 2025—mirroring U.S. stocks’ tumble—fuels bear market fears via $960M liquidations, but spot resilience suggests a purge, not collapse. KOLs see short-term room to $95K, with institutions holding firm. Monitor $99K close, ETF flows, and RSI for signals in BTC’s volatile cycle.