Bitcoin and ether lead nearly $1 billion in liquidations as AI-linked trading stays in focus

Bitcoin and ether led nearly $1 billion in futures liquidations across major crypto markets, as a broader AI-linked trading theme continued to shape sentiment. Bitcoin briefly slid to around $59,175 before rebounding to roughly $61,500, and the move triggered about $430 million in liquidations tied to bullish bitcoin bets. The selloff and rebound unfolded as traders also looked to tokenized stock exposures tied to chip names such as Micron Technology Inc (MU) and Sandisk (SNDK).