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BTC $96,420 +2.34% ETH $3,280 +1.82% SOL $185.40 -0.92% BNB $642.50 +0.45% XRP $2.18 +3.12% DOGE $0.082 -1.50% ADA $1.05 +0.80% AVAX $42.10 +1.15%
BTC $96,420 +2.34% ETH $3,280 +1.82% SOL $185.40 -0.92% BNB $642.50 +0.45% XRP $2.18 +3.12% DOGE $0.082 -1.50% ADA $1.05 +0.80% AVAX $42.10 +1.15%
08/21/2026

Aug 21: Record $4 Billion in Shorts Liquidated Across Crypto Markets

US Treasury Buybacks and White House Crypto Summit Ignite Rally · Bitcoin Surges Past $79,000 as ETF Inflows Hit $606M, Shorts Liquidate · Alibaba AI Cloud Revenue Up 45%, But Profits Plunge 75% on Heavy Capex

Aug 21: Record $4 Billion in Shorts Liquidated Across Crypto Markets

Market Snapshot

  • Bitcoin (BTC): $77,232.53 (+7.3% 24h)
  • Ethereum (ETH): $2,388.84 (+4.3% 24h)
  • Solana (SOL): $90.88 (+4.3% 24h)
  • Spot BTC ETF inflows: $606 million (Aug 20, 2026; prior day: $517M)

Top Stories

Key Takeaways

  • Bitcoin's rally to $79,000 was driven by record ETF inflows and a historic short squeeze, not just organic demand.
  • Institutional flows are increasingly dictating crypto market direction, with spot ETF assets at $84.3 billion.
  • Macro policy shifts—US Treasury buybacks and rate-cut expectations—are now core crypto catalysts.
  • In AI, Alibaba's rapid cloud growth comes at the expense of profitability, highlighting the cost of scaling innovation.

What to Watch

Markets will be watching for further ETF inflow data and whether BTC can sustain levels above $75,000 as short positioning normalizes. In the AI sector, Alibaba's next moves on capex and profitability will be closely scrutinized, as will any policy signals from the US Treasury and White House regarding crypto reserves or regulatory changes.