Quick answer: Bitcoin is on track for its worst October since 2014. At 16:53 UTC on Oct. 30, 2026, BTC traded at $77,265 on CoinGecko, about 7.5% below its Oct. 1 open of $83,554, after the $6.3 billion Binance hack and a tech-led stock sell-off.
Bitcoin is heading for its worst October since 2014, down about 7.5% for the month with one trading day left. A record exchange hack, a sharp tech-stock sell-off and falling gold all hit risk assets in the same 48 hours.
At 16:53 UTC on Oct. 30, 2026, bitcoin traded at $77,265, down 4.8% in 24 hours, according to CoinGecko. It opened the month at $83,554, based on Yahoo Finance data.
What happened to bitcoin this week
First, Binance lost about $6.3 billion in the largest crypto hack on record. As we covered, investigators have linked the attack to North Korea’s TraderTraitor group. Binance now says it has set aside $6.34 billion to cover losses, including $5 billion in matching tokens, per The Block and Cointelegraph.
After that, leverage unwound. Liquidations reached $1.56 billion over 24 hours, and long positions made up $1.31 billion of that, according to CoinGlass data cited by Cointelegraph. crypto.news also put the wipeout above $1.5 billion.
As a result, bitcoin’s intraday low was near $76,320 on TradingView data. Yahoo Finance shows a low of $76,418. Either way, that is the weakest level since mid-September.
Why a worst October for Bitcoin matters
October has a strong record for bitcoin. Traders even call it “Uptober.” From 2015 to 2025, bitcoin’s average October gain was about 19%, and the median was close to 15%.
However, only three Octobers in that data closed red: 2014, 2018 and 2025. This year is now worse than 2018 (-4.6%) and 2025 (-4.0%). Only 2014, at -12.7%, was deeper.
Our take: a red October on its own does not predict a bear market. Still, it breaks a seasonal story that many traders lean on. Moreover, this is the second red October in a row, a rare pattern we flagged on Oct. 19. A year ago, bitcoin opened October 2025 near $114,058. So the price is now about 32% lower than it was twelve months ago.
Above all, that matters for sentiment. Seasonal buyers who expected a fourth-quarter rally now face lower highs, as our earlier look at the drop below $80,000 showed.
Data and context: a cross-asset sell-off
This was not a crypto-only move. In fact, the pressure came from three directions at once.
- Tech stocks: Intel guided fourth-quarter sales to $15 billion to $16 billion, below the $17 billion to $18 billion analysts expected, per Cointelegraph. Its shares were down about 26% on Friday, Yahoo Finance data shows.
- Nasdaq: The Nasdaq Composite fell about 2% to near 25,420, its lowest level since early August.
- Gold: Gold futures dropped about 3% to near $3,900 an ounce. Cointelegraph said spot gold touched $3,891, a one-year low.
In other words, the old “digital gold” hedge and real gold fell together. That points to broad deleveraging rather than a simple rotation out of crypto.
Meanwhile, other large coins fell harder than bitcoin. At 16:53 UTC, ether traded at $2,224.08 (-5.5%), BNB at $699.11 (-6.7%) and Solana at $94.80 (-6.9%), per CoinGecko. You can follow the live price on our bitcoin price page.
Momentum is also stretched. By our calculation from Yahoo Finance daily closes, bitcoin’s 14-day RSI sits near 34, close to the oversold line of 30. The price is also about $4,000 below its 20-day average of roughly $81,500. Cointelegraph’s TradingView readings show similar levels.
What to watch next
First, the monthly close. October ends at 00:00 UTC on Nov. 1. A close below about $77,300 would lock in a loss of 7.5% or more.
Second, support. Analysts cited by crypto.news watch $76,200 to $76,800. A clean break could expose the mid-September lows near $75,000. On the upside, they flagged $80,000 as the level to reclaim.
Third, Binance. Faster recovery and normal withdrawals would ease fears of forced selling. On the other hand, new breach details could add pressure.
Finally, watch fund flows. Our bitcoin ETF flows tracker shows whether large buyers step in on the dip. Corporate buyers matter too, as Strategy’s recent move to daily preferred dividends shows.
FAQ: Bitcoin and its worst October in years
Is this bitcoin’s worst October ever?
No. October 2014 was worse, at about -12.7% in Yahoo Finance data. If the month closes near current prices, October 2026 would rank as the worst October since 2014, ahead of 2018 (-4.6%) and 2025 (-4.0%).
Why is bitcoin falling in October 2026?
Three forces hit at once. The $6.3 billion Binance hack triggered about $1.56 billion in liquidations. Intel’s weak outlook dragged the Nasdaq lower. Gold also fell to a one-year low, a sign of broad deleveraging.
When does the October monthly candle close?
Bitcoin trades nonstop, so most charts close the monthly candle at 00:00 UTC on Nov. 1, 2026. The final October return depends on the price at that moment, measured against the Oct. 1 open of about $83,554.
Sources
- Cointelegraph: Bitcoin risks worst October in 12 years as tech sell-off spreads to gold
- Cointelegraph: Bitcoin price metrics hint at rebound as $1.6B liquidations follow Binance hack
- crypto.news: Bitcoin falls below $77,000 after Binance hack
- The Block: Binance says it has $6.34 billion ready to cover hack losses
- Yahoo Finance: BTC-USD historical data
- CoinGecko: live prices
This article is for information only and is not financial advice. Crypto prices are volatile, and you can lose money.
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