Crypto
Crypto Shorts Take Brunt of $102 Million Liquidation Wave
Crypto derivatives traders took a hit on February 21, 2026, with $102 million in leveraged positions being forcibly closed over a 24-hour period.
The majority of the losses, $74.11 million, came from short positions, which are bets on falling prices.
Bitcoin short liquidations accounted for $23.54 million, while Ethereum short liquidations came in at $10.90 million.
The single largest liquidation was an $8.5 million SOL-USD position on Hyperliquid, a decentralized derivatives exchange.
More than 56,000 traders saw their positions liquidated, a reminder that many market participants are taking on too much risk in an asset class known for its volatility.