Bitcoin steadies near $70k as funding rates flag shorts

Evidence points to elevated shorts near $70k, per metrics

Multiple market gauges indicate that bearish positioning has clustered around the psychologically important $70,000 area. Derivatives signals and fund flow context suggest an unusually high share of traders are short or hedged as BTC hovers near that level.

Spot Bitcoin ETF flow trends have reinforced that bias: according to HTX Insights, U.S. spot ETF vehicles saw consistent net outflows from mid-December 2025, and the futures–spot basis narrowed materially, reducing the appeal of hedge-fund basis trades. Such conditions tend to coincide with increased short activity or defensive hedging, including around flagship funds such as iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).

Positioning metrics also reflect capitulation-style behavior typically seen near local inflections. K33 Research recently pointed to washed-out funding, options skew and volume dynamics into the ~$60,000–$70,000 zone and observed large-whale accumulation on weakness, noting roughly 53,000 BTC added by bigger holders during the drawdown.

Why that positioning matters for squeeze risk and stability

When shorts build at a well-watched level, the order book can become one-sided. If price grinds higher and breaches resistance, forced covering can convert resting shorts into market buys, amplifying upside; if the level fails, concentrated shorts may press into thin liquidity and add to volatility.

One timely signal supporting the squeeze-risk narrative is the behavior of funding, a proxy for the cost of holding perpetual futures. “Funding rates hit 2024 lows,” said Yahoo Finance, in a summary tied to Bitcoin’s test of the $70,000 area; depressed funding often coincides with heavier short interest.

Flows also matter for stability. On sessions when spot ETFs register net outflows and basis trades fade, spot-side liquidity can thin, making both squeezes and slide-throughs more abrupt even without dramatic changes in underlying demand.

At the time of this writing, Bitcoin trades near $68,971, based on data from MarketWatch’s CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index (XBX). That context underscores how close the market remains to the battleground level discussed, and why incremental shifts in leverage can have outsized effects.

What a Bitcoin shorts surge signals right now

In the current setup, an upswing through nearby resistance would likely run into clusters of resting short stops and liquidation thresholds, while a failure to hold the range risks a momentum-led extension. Either path would be driven less by new information and more by the mechanics of leverage and liquidity.

For readers tracking the signals, funding rate direction, options skew, and ETF flow breadth are the clearest near-term tells. Sustained normalization in funding and a turn in spot ETF flows would reduce squeeze risk and stabilize two-way liquidity; persistence of depressed funding with further outflows would keep the market vulnerable to sharp, mechanical moves.