Bitcoin below $90,000: Insufficient market liquidity leads to instability, while Satoshi Nakamoto's wealth loses billions

Liquidity Crisis Fuels Bitcoin Price Volatility

Bitcoin has experienced significant selling pressure in recent days, dropping to $89,583 on Friday, marking the fourth consecutive day of declines from the $94,825 peak on January 5. The current price of the asset at around $90,480 ( according to the latest data from January 20 ) reflects ongoing market weakness. Analysts point out that the current trading range, which has persisted since the end of November, results from significantly reduced trading activity and market liquidity.

Insufficient trading volumes combined with low liquidity lead to sharp price swings for both Bitcoin and the entire altcoin sector. Many leveraged traders are experiencing liquidations as rapid gains from previous months are reversed within hours. This dynamic suggests that the market is waiting for a clear catalyst—either positive or negative—to move beyond the current equilibrium point.

Labor Market Data Deepens Uncertainty

Data released on Friday from the US labor market did not favor sentiment. Non-farm employment increased by only 50,000 jobs, well below economists’ forecasts of 60,000. This weak indicator raised additional concerns about global economic growth, which traditionally impacts appetite for risk assets like Bitcoin.

At the time of the report’s publication, Bitcoin remained just above the $90,000 level, indicating that the market had already priced in some of the negative news. However, the lack of a strong rebound suggests traders are wary of further macroeconomic deterioration.

Satoshi Nakamoto’s Wallet: From $137 Billion to Below $100 Billion

While the market faces challenges, Bitcoin’s price weakness has had a dramatic impact on its largest holder—the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. His crypto holdings have now fallen below the historical $100 billion mark, reaching a value of $99.28 billion based on the current BTC price.

Satoshi’s holdings consist of approximately 1.096 million Bitcoin spread across 22,000 addresses. These coins have remained completely dormant since 2010, making them the oldest Bitcoin assets in the network. In October last year, when Bitcoin hit a record high of $126,198, Satoshi’s wallet was worth $137 billion—almost $38 billion more than its current value.

Position on the World’s Richest List

Despite Bitcoin’s current 28.35% decline from its all-time high, Satoshi Nakamoto remains the wealthiest cryptocurrency holder in the world. According to Bloomberg Billionaire’s Index, his fortune places him among the top 100 wealthiest people globally, an extraordinary position for someone whose true identity remains a secret.

Satoshi’s entire wealth originated from mining Bitcoin in 2009-2010, when network difficulty was minimal and block rewards were significantly higher. The fact that these coins have never been spent or transferred remains one of the biggest risks to the market—any movement from these wallets could potentially destabilize the entire sector.

The current situation serves as a cautionary example: despite being the richest participant in the crypto ecosystem, even Satoshi Nakamoto experiences significant fluctuations in wealth value due to Bitcoin’s market volatility. This highlights systemic challenges in liquidity and price stability that the market still needs to address.