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Crypto Long Liquidations Hit $563 Million in 24 Hours, Led by Ethereum and Bitcoin

Crypto Long Liquidations Hit $563 Million in 24 Hours, Led by Ethereum and Bitcoin

A broad crypto sell-off triggered major leveraged losses, with long traders hit hardest as Ethereum and Bitcoin led liquidations; a later 24-hour snapshot showed reduced but still elevated forced closures.

BTC
ETH

Fact Check
The core claim is confirmed by multiple independent, credible sources. CoinDesk and Crypto Briefing both report $563 million in long liquidations over 24 hours on May 18, 2026, with Ethereum leading at ~$244 million and Bitcoin at ~$160 million — exactly matching the claim. The X post from @cryptodotnews (2056525995037933578) provides the same breakdown. The secondary PANews article (019e40dc) corroborates the claim's note about a later snapshot showing reduced liquidations ($203 million total), consistent with the event subsiding. All figures and the narrative of a broad crypto sell-off driven by macroeconomic concerns are consistent across sources. No conflicting data was found.
Summary

Crypto markets saw a major liquidation wave with $563 million in long liquidations over 24 hours, the largest such total since February, led by Ethereum at $244 million and Bitcoin at $160 million, according to the source. Within that sell-off, Onchain Lens reported that Machi Big Brother’s 25x Ethereum long was liquidated again, bringing cumulative losses above $32.4 million before he reopened a new 25x Ethereum long on May 18. A later 24-hour market snapshot showed $203 million in total liquidations, including $136 million in longs and $66.28 million in shorts, with Ethereum at $57.87 million and Bitcoin at $54.94 million. The figures indicate that leverage-driven volatility remained significant even after the larger washout.

Terms & Concepts
  • Long liquidation: The forced closure of a bullish leveraged trade after losses breach margin requirements on a trading platform.
  • 25x long position: A leveraged bullish trade that increases exposure by 25 times, magnifying both potential profits and potential losses.
  • Margin: Collateral posted by traders to maintain open positions and absorb potential losses.