Market Overview - Risk appetite has weakened, impacting the crypto market with a market value of digital assets around $3.45 trillion and a Fear and Greed Index at 20, alongside liquidations exceeding $2 billion in a single day [1] - Bitcoin fell below $100,000 for the first time since June, while Ethereum dropped below $3,100, indicating a broader trend of deleveraging in the market [3] Liquidity and Positioning - Stressed positioning has altered the mix of liquidity providers, slowing the pace of spread tightening, which means rebounds often rely on fresh cash rather than mechanical squeezes [2] - The environment of patience in policy communication from the Federal Reserve has diminished the appeal of long-duration exposures, leading to tighter inventory limits among dealers [4] Market Dynamics - When both growth stocks and crypto decline simultaneously, hedges tend to migrate into listed instruments first, followed by cash selling as liquidity decreases, increasing the risk of price breaks during transitions between time zones [5] - The structure of the market has turned stress into liquidations, with open interest decreasing as long positions hit margin limits, leading to forced selling and wider spreads [6] Stablecoin Activity - Stablecoin flows mirrored market trends, with a slowdown in creations and an increase in redemptions, resulting in fewer spot bids to absorb forced sales, indicating a reduction of leverage in the system [7]