CRYPTO

Who's Really Shaking Up the Crypto World?

AmericasSat Oct 18 2025

The Crypto Market Nosedive: Who's Really Behind It?

The crypto market recently experienced a significant downturn, but the culprits might not be who you'd expect. Unlike previous crashes, this one wasn't driven by big institutions but by everyday crypto enthusiasts and retail investors.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Take a Hit

Both Bitcoin and Ethereum saw substantial losses. However, the interesting twist is that the big players in Bitcoin ETFs and CME futures didn't panic sell.

  • Bitcoin ETFs: Saw some outflows, but the amounts were minimal compared to the total assets.
  • Ethereum ETFs: Had a bit more activity, but still nothing major.

The Real Drama: Perpetual Futures Market

The real action was in the perpetual futures market, where crypto-native traders were cutting their losses. Both Bitcoin and Ethereum contracts saw a significant drop in open interest, far more than the spot prices.

Momentum-Driven Traders in the Spotlight

It appears that momentum-driven traders were the main movers of the market. They were the ones reducing risk and causing the steepest losses. Ethereum took a bigger hit than Bitcoin, which aligns with its known volatility.

Crypto-Native Traders: The Main Drivers

This situation highlights that crypto-native traders are the primary drivers of the downturn. It's not the big institutions calling the shots but the everyday folks deeply involved in the crypto space. This serves as a reminder that the market can be influenced by a variety of factors, and it's not always the big players who are in control.

questions

    If crypto-native traders are the main drivers of the market downturn, does this mean they're practicing 'crypto-karma'?
    What evidence supports the claim that retail and crypto-focused investors were the primary drivers of the recent market sell-off?
    How do the outflows from Bitcoin and Ether ETFs compare to historical trends, and what does this indicate about investor sentiment?

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