Key points:
Bitcoin takes another shot at price discovery as volatility returns with Wall Street traders.
Crypto liquidations pass $500 million in 24 hours.
Ether comes within $150 of new all-time highs as institutional interest surges.
Bitcoin (BTC) sought new highs at the Wednesday Wall Street open as institutional demand punished late shorts.
Bitcoin, altcoin volatility liquidates $500 million
Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD piercing the $122,000 mark before cooling.
Up 1% on the day, the pair faced resistance around its current all-time high as short positions were liquidated across crypto markets.
Data from monitoring resource CoinGlass put total 24-hour liquidations at over half a billion dollars at the time of writing.
“$BTC went right through,” trading commentator TheKingfisher summarized in part of a reaction on X.
Popular trader Daan Crypto Trades concluded that Bitcoin would either continue to range or break out into price discovery next.
“BTC is still range-bound currently and will need to either break out into price discovery or continue to go sideways to build up more positions on both sides,” he told X followers about the CoinGlass data.
“No major liquidity cluster anywhere in close proximity right now to go off. Focus lies on alts for many market participants.”
Anticipation of new all-time highs for the top altcoin, Ether (ETH), continued to build on the day, with ETH/USD reaching its highest levels since December 2021 — less than $150 away from uncharted territory.
Both Ether and Bitcoin fielded increased institutional interest. As Cointelegraph reported, blockchain technology company BitMine announced a $20 billion fundraising round to purchase ETH, while institutional entities made up 75% of Coinbase trading volume on Tuesday.
$126,000 “pivotal” for Bitcoin going forward
In further good news for the bulls, popular trader and analyst Rekt Capital said that $120,000 was now BTC price support.
Related: BTC price to fill $117K CME gap? 5 things to know in Bitcoin this week
“Bitcoin has fully confirmed its breakout from the Bull Flag and turned the $120k level into new support. Bitcoin has entered trend continuation, with a chance at challenging new All Time Highs soon,” he wrote on the day.
Rekt Capital added that $126,000 would be the “pivotal” price point to watch.
#BTC
— Rekt Capital (@rektcapital) August 13, 2025
The ~$126,000 level will be the pivotal price point going forward$BTC #Crypto #Bitcoin https://t.co/roTsRRsc07
For Ether, he said, $4,631 would be the support level required to fuel an excursion into price discovery.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph's Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research before making any decisions. Cointelegraph makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, including forward-looking statements, and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.
