Over $740 million in crypto positions were liquidated in a single 24-hour period on February 3, 2026, when BTC dropped to a 14-month low before bouncing back above $76,000. On Pi Day, March 14, another wave wiped out hundreds of millions more. Every time the market moves sharply, the same pattern plays out. Leveraged traders who did not understand their liquidation price wake up to empty accounts and a hard lesson about how margin actually works.

With the FOMC meeting on March 18 and BTC trading in a $65,600-$72,500 range, another volatility spike is coming. BTC has dropped after 7 of 8 FOMC meetings in 2025, and the January 2026 meeting produced a 7.3% drop in 48 hours. If you are trading with leverage this week, understanding…