Bitcoin Sees Deepest European-Induced Sell-Off Since 2018 as ETH, ADA, SOL Show Resilience

Bitcoin Near $90K as Europe Drives November Sell-Off, Traders Eye Fed Decision

Bitcoin (BTC) hovered around $90,400 on Tuesday as crypto markets stabilized after one of November’s steepest declines since 2018. Liquidity remained thin ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Reserve announcement, with broader markets maintaining recent gains.

Over the past 24 hours, BTC rose about 1%, while Ether (ETH) added 0.2%, according to CoinGecko. Other major altcoins were mixed: BNB gained nearly 1%, SOL fell 0.6%, and XRP edged lower.

European Trading Leads Decline
Time zone data from Presto Research highlighted Europe as the main driver of November’s 20–25% BTC and ETH drawdowns. European sessions posted deep losses, while Asian and U.S. sessions remained largely flat, illustrating divergent regional flows amid crypto de-leveraging.

Institutional Activity
Strategy disclosed its largest Bitcoin acquisition in over three months, buying 10,624 BTC for $963 million, mostly funded through new equity issuance. Total holdings now stand at roughly 660,600 BTC, worth around $60 billion. The company’s shares traded near $180, down 50% over six months amid MSCI index inclusion concerns.

Macro Pressures and Market Sentiment
Macro trends continue to constrain crypto. Asian equities fell as traders awaited Fed guidance on rate cuts and easing into 2026. Bond yields remained elevated, adding pressure to high-beta assets. Crypto sentiment remains fragile: CryptoQuant’s Bull Score dropped to zero for the first time since January 2022, with most BTC on-chain indicators turning bearish.

Outlook
Traders are watching whether BTC can push toward $94,000–$98,000 or if European trading continues to weigh on prices as year-end positioning tightens. Medium-term catalysts, including potential U.S. 401(k) rule changes in early 2026, could open trillions in retirement savings to Bitcoin exposure.