Bitcoin price recovery possible after record realized losses and leverage flush out create a healthier market

Bitcoin (BTC) price is showing notable resilience at the $17,000 level, and according to data from Glassnode, a number of metrics that track the pace of selling and the on-chain behavior of investors are beginning to show a reduction in the factors that trigger sharp sell-offs.

The FTX bankruptcy fueled a historic sell-off resulting in $4.4 billion in realized Bitcoin losses. By analyzing realized losses with the daily weighted average metric, Glassnode analysts found that the on-chain losses are subsiding.

According to Glassnode, Bitcoin hit an all-time low in the realized profits versus losses ratio. Toward the end of the most recent bull market, realized losses were 14 times larger than profits, which historically coincided with a positive market shift.

Bitcoin realized profit and loss. Source: Glassnode

The on-chain data also shows realized losses are declining and Bitcoin price is above the balanced price and realized cap is dropping, removing excess liquidity generated from over-leveraged entities.ย 

BTC balanced and delta price. Source: Glassnode

Realized cap suggests excess liquidity is drained

The realized cap is the net sum of Bitcoin capital inflows and outflows since BTCโ€™s launch.

The current realized cap is 2.6% higher than the May 2021 peak, suggesting that Bitcoinโ€™s all-time high has retraced and all excess liquidity from bad debt and over-leveraged entities has been drained from the market.

Historical realized cap trends. Source: Glassnode

In the past, as bad debt was removed from the ecosystem, a launch pad for future bull markets was established.ย 

Bitcoin Realized Cap. Source: Glassnode

According to the analysts:ย 

โ€œThe 2010-11 realized cap saw a net capital outflow equivalent to 24% of the peak. The 2014-15 realized cap experienced the lowest, yet non-trivial capital outflow of 14%. The 2017-18 recorded a 16.5% decline in realized cap, the closest to the current cycle of 17.0%. By this measure, the current cycle has seen the third largest relative outflow of capital, and has now eclipsed the 2018 cycle, which is arguably the most relevant mature market analogue.โ€

The bottom could possibly be in

Balanced price and delta price are algorithmic analyses used to revisit previous bear cycles. In previous bear cycles, Bitcoinโ€™s price has traded between the balanced price and the delta price 3.0% of the time.

The current balanced price range is between $12,000 and $15,500 with the current delta price concentrating between $18,700 to $22,900. Concurrent with previous bear markets, Bitcoinโ€™s price is above the balanced price, finding support at $15,500.

Related: BTC price levels to watch as Bitcoin holds $17K into the market open

While a market bottom has yet to be found, and a handful of potential downside catalysts remain, on-chain analysis is showing that the sentiment of market participants is slowly shifting out of bearish extremes, with the peak of realized losses and forced selling seemingly concluded.

A tighter view of Bitcoin holders’ acquisition cost will also make anticipating reactions to possible upcoming volatility easier. A large amount of excess liquidity has dissipated, possibly creating a firmer price floor for a sustainable BTC price recovery.