August core PCE data showed persistent U.S. inflation, with prices for more than half of the index’s components still rising faster than the target rate. Markets nevertheless interpreted the release as evidence of cooling inflation, prompting aggressive buying across Bitcoin and major altcoins. CoinGlass said 73,709 traders were liquidated over 24 hours, wiping out $259.12 million in leveraged positions. The most severe imbalance came within one hour of the data release, when short liquidations reached $82.61 million versus $3.09 million for longs, a 2,633% difference that intensified the rally through a short squeeze (forced buying by bearish traders whose positions are closed). Bitcoin reached $83,825.17 and represented nearly 59% of the total crypto market, while Bitcoin shorts recorded more than $51.69 million in losses. A single BTC-USDT position on HTX was liquidated for $6.91 million. Ether contributed $16.39 million to liquidations despite falling intraday to $2,679.29, while XRP settled at $1.4975 and joined other volatile altcoins in triggering stop orders. The move came despite several potential bearish pressures, including stalled U.S. stocks, expensive oil, a 5.2% 10-year Treasury yield and the CLARITY Act’s failure in the Senate. The market’s resilience is presented as evidence that institutional participation through ETFs, banks and funds has strengthened demand, with year-end approaching and funds preparing fresh allocations for 2027 strategies.