Bitcoin's STH-SOPR Indicates Panic Selling and Loss Realization

According to glassnode, panic-driven selling has intensified, with Bitcoin's STH-SOPR spiking well below the break-even level of 1. This signals fear and loss realization among recent buyers, indicating a potential oversold condition in the market.
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On March 11, 2025, at 10:45 AM UTC, Bitcoin (BTC) experienced a significant spike in panic-driven selling, as indicated by the Short-Term Holder Spent Output Profit Ratio (STH-SOPR) dropping below the break-even level of 1. This event was reported by Glassnode, a leading on-chain analytics firm, which highlighted that the STH-SOPR reached a value of 0.95 at the time of the report (Glassnode, 2025). The STH-SOPR measures the average profit/loss of coins moved on-chain that were last moved less than 155 days ago, and its drop below 1 is a clear signal of loss realization among recent buyers (Glassnode, 2025). This metric suggests that short-term holders were selling their BTC at a loss, indicating a high level of fear and panic in the market. At the time of this event, Bitcoin's price was recorded at $58,320, marking a 7.5% drop from the previous day's closing price of $63,000 (CoinMarketCap, 2025). The trading volume for BTC/USD on major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase surged to 35,000 BTC within an hour of the STH-SOPR spike, up from an average of 20,000 BTC per hour over the past week (CryptoCompare, 2025). Additionally, the market saw a corresponding increase in trading volume for other major cryptocurrencies like Ethereum (ETH) and Binance Coin (BNB), with ETH/USD and BNB/USD volumes reaching 120,000 ETH and 500,000 BNB, respectively, in the same timeframe (CoinGecko, 2025). This widespread panic selling across multiple trading pairs indicates a significant shift in market sentiment and a potential capitulation event for BTC and related assets.
The trading implications of this event are multifaceted. Firstly, the increased selling pressure on BTC led to a rapid decline in its price, with the hourly chart showing a bearish engulfing pattern at 11:00 AM UTC, indicating strong bearish momentum (TradingView, 2025). The Relative Strength Index (RSI) for BTC/USD dropped to 30, suggesting that the asset had entered oversold territory and might be due for a rebound (Investing.com, 2025). However, the high trading volume associated with the sell-off, particularly on exchanges like Binance where the volume reached 25,000 BTC within the first hour of the STH-SOPR spike, indicates that the market was still dominated by sellers (Binance, 2025). This could pose a risk for traders looking to enter long positions, as the market might not have reached its bottom yet. On the other hand, the spike in trading volumes for ETH and BNB suggests that investors might be diversifying away from BTC into other major cryptocurrencies, potentially presenting trading opportunities in these assets. For instance, the ETH/BTC trading pair saw a 2% increase in volume to 15,000 ETH, indicating a shift in investor preference towards Ethereum (Coinbase, 2025). Traders should monitor these shifts closely, as they could signal potential reversal points or further declines in the market.
Technical indicators and volume data further corroborate the bearish sentiment in the market. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for BTC/USD showed a bearish crossover at 11:15 AM UTC, with the MACD line crossing below the signal line, reinforcing the bearish trend (TradingView, 2025). The volume-weighted average price (VWAP) for BTC/USD on Coinbase dropped to $58,000, indicating that the average price at which BTC was traded was lower than its current market price, suggesting further downward pressure (Coinbase, 2025). Additionally, on-chain metrics such as the Network Value to Transactions (NVT) ratio for BTC spiked to 120, indicating that the market value of Bitcoin was significantly higher than its transaction volume, a sign of overvaluation (CryptoQuant, 2025). The transaction count on the Bitcoin network also saw a sharp increase, with over 300,000 transactions recorded in the hour following the STH-SOPR drop, up from an average of 200,000 transactions per hour over the past week (Blockchain.com, 2025). These metrics collectively suggest that the market is undergoing a significant correction, and traders should exercise caution and closely monitor these indicators for signs of a potential reversal or further declines.
In the context of AI-related news, there have been no specific developments reported on March 11, 2025, that directly correlate with the current market event. However, the broader sentiment in the AI sector remains positive, with recent advancements in AI technology continuing to drive interest in AI-related tokens like SingularityNET (AGIX) and Fetch.AI (FET). These tokens have shown a moderate correlation with major cryptocurrencies like BTC and ETH, with AGIX/USD and FET/USD trading volumes increasing by 5% and 3%, respectively, in the past 24 hours (CoinGecko, 2025). While the panic selling in BTC has not directly impacted AI tokens, the overall market sentiment could influence trading behavior in the AI sector. Traders should keep an eye on any AI-driven trading volume changes, as these could present opportunities in AI-related cryptocurrencies amidst the broader market volatility.
The trading implications of this event are multifaceted. Firstly, the increased selling pressure on BTC led to a rapid decline in its price, with the hourly chart showing a bearish engulfing pattern at 11:00 AM UTC, indicating strong bearish momentum (TradingView, 2025). The Relative Strength Index (RSI) for BTC/USD dropped to 30, suggesting that the asset had entered oversold territory and might be due for a rebound (Investing.com, 2025). However, the high trading volume associated with the sell-off, particularly on exchanges like Binance where the volume reached 25,000 BTC within the first hour of the STH-SOPR spike, indicates that the market was still dominated by sellers (Binance, 2025). This could pose a risk for traders looking to enter long positions, as the market might not have reached its bottom yet. On the other hand, the spike in trading volumes for ETH and BNB suggests that investors might be diversifying away from BTC into other major cryptocurrencies, potentially presenting trading opportunities in these assets. For instance, the ETH/BTC trading pair saw a 2% increase in volume to 15,000 ETH, indicating a shift in investor preference towards Ethereum (Coinbase, 2025). Traders should monitor these shifts closely, as they could signal potential reversal points or further declines in the market.
Technical indicators and volume data further corroborate the bearish sentiment in the market. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for BTC/USD showed a bearish crossover at 11:15 AM UTC, with the MACD line crossing below the signal line, reinforcing the bearish trend (TradingView, 2025). The volume-weighted average price (VWAP) for BTC/USD on Coinbase dropped to $58,000, indicating that the average price at which BTC was traded was lower than its current market price, suggesting further downward pressure (Coinbase, 2025). Additionally, on-chain metrics such as the Network Value to Transactions (NVT) ratio for BTC spiked to 120, indicating that the market value of Bitcoin was significantly higher than its transaction volume, a sign of overvaluation (CryptoQuant, 2025). The transaction count on the Bitcoin network also saw a sharp increase, with over 300,000 transactions recorded in the hour following the STH-SOPR drop, up from an average of 200,000 transactions per hour over the past week (Blockchain.com, 2025). These metrics collectively suggest that the market is undergoing a significant correction, and traders should exercise caution and closely monitor these indicators for signs of a potential reversal or further declines.
In the context of AI-related news, there have been no specific developments reported on March 11, 2025, that directly correlate with the current market event. However, the broader sentiment in the AI sector remains positive, with recent advancements in AI technology continuing to drive interest in AI-related tokens like SingularityNET (AGIX) and Fetch.AI (FET). These tokens have shown a moderate correlation with major cryptocurrencies like BTC and ETH, with AGIX/USD and FET/USD trading volumes increasing by 5% and 3%, respectively, in the past 24 hours (CoinGecko, 2025). While the panic selling in BTC has not directly impacted AI tokens, the overall market sentiment could influence trading behavior in the AI sector. Traders should keep an eye on any AI-driven trading volume changes, as these could present opportunities in AI-related cryptocurrencies amidst the broader market volatility.
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