Bitcoin’s Funding Rates Normalize Following Dip Below $69K

Last Updated on March 6, 2024

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Key Takeaways:

  • The recent correction in Bitcoin’s price, from a high above $69,000 to $59,700, led to the normalization of funding rates in the crypto perpetual futures market, clearing out excess leverage.
  • The decrease in annualized funding rates to below 20% from previously triple-digit figures suggests a market reset, potentially opening the door for a more stable and long-lasting move to record highs.
  • Funding rates are crucial in aligning perpetual futures prices with spot prices. A normalization in these rates indicates a cooling off from the previous over-optimism, which is often seen at market peaks.
  • The current scenario mirrors past market cycles where rapid gains fueled by leverage and optimism led to significant corrections, underscoring the importance of caution in the highly volatile and speculative crypto market.

The recent market-wide adjustment in funding rates signals a potentially sustained climb towards new peaks for Bitcoin, according to Omkar Godbole’s analysis on March 6, 2024.

Following a swift decrease in Bitcoin’s value, funding rates across the crypto perpetual futures market have returned to standard levels. This correction, removing excessive leverage, brought Bitcoin’s price down by 10% to $59,700 after it soared to over $69,000, marking a new all-time high.

Bitcoin Price Falling Down Concept

This price adjustment led to the liquidation of $1 billion in leveraged bets within the digital asset markets, indicating a significant market reset.

As a result of this pullback, the annualized funding rates, which represent the cost of maintaining leveraged positions in the perpetual futures market for the top 25 cryptocurrencies, have dropped to below 20%. This is a stark decrease from the exceedingly high rates seen just days prior.

Such normalization suggests the market’s previous overheated state, driven by overenthusiasm and high leverage, has cooled down, potentially paving the way for a more stable ascent to record levels.

heatmap chart by Velo
Heatmap chart showing 25 cryptocurrencies. Source: Velo

Funding rates play a critical role in the crypto futures market by ensuring that the prices of perpetual futures contracts remain closely aligned with the actual spot prices of cryptocurrencies. A surge in these rates often reflects a growing optimism and a bullish market sentiment. However, extremely high funding rates can also indicate a level of over-optimism that typically aligns with market peaks and precedes corrections.

John Glover, chief investment officer at Ledn, speculates that the market might experience further deleveraging in the upcoming weeks. This could potentially drive Bitcoin’s price down as the current market euphoria mirrors the sentiment observed during previous peaks around the $65,000 mark.

Glover suggests that, similar to past occurrences, the anticipated correction could be a result of excessive leverage and unrealistic expectations rather than solely the actions of market manipulators.

Crypto selling price collapse concept

This analysis highlights the cyclical nature of the crypto market, where rapid gains often lead to corrections as a result of over-leverage and overly optimistic speculation.

As the market stabilizes and funding rates normalize, investors and observers alike will be watching closely to see if Bitcoin can sustain a more stable and lasting rise to new heights.

About The Author

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Victor Fawole, a seasoned Web3 content creator and social media influencer, excels in bringing the pulse of the crypto world to our readers.

With a keen eye for emerging trends and a talent for engaging storytelling, Victor’s articles offer a fresh perspective on the ever-evolving digital currency landscape.

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